Samit Sarkar
@samitsarkar.bsky.social
✊🏾 formerly & forever Vox Union | 📝 past life: @polygon.com, next thing: TBD | ⁉️ proud @jeopardyofficial.bsky.social loser | reading, writing, playing, watching, sleeping | he/him
just a flesh wound
The New York Rangers will enter 2026 with the worst record in the Eastern Conference.
December 31, 2025 at 8:56 PM
just a flesh wound
"In towns like mine, outsourcing and automation consumed jobs. Then purpose. Then people. Now the same forces are climbing the economic ladder."
December 31, 2025 at 8:09 PM
"In towns like mine, outsourcing and automation consumed jobs. Then purpose. Then people. Now the same forces are climbing the economic ladder."
“Anthropic has raised concerns over students off-loading cognitive work to AI systems, and OpenAI has acknowledged that dependence on AI tools more generally is a problem. [...] But there’s a tension here. For OpenAI and other chatbot makers, dependence is the business model.”
The People Outsourcing Their Thinking to AI
Rise of the LLeMmings
www.theatlantic.com
December 31, 2025 at 7:54 PM
“Anthropic has raised concerns over students off-loading cognitive work to AI systems, and OpenAI has acknowledged that dependence on AI tools more generally is a problem. [...] But there’s a tension here. For OpenAI and other chatbot makers, dependence is the business model.”
neat thread! as someone who grew up in Queens using tokens, the MetroCard really did feel like a magical piece of technology when it debuted
Social media isn't a great place for nuance or context, but despite that I want to take a moment today to talk about some of the things that made the MetroCard special in its day.
December 31, 2025 at 7:26 PM
neat thread! as someone who grew up in Queens using tokens, the MetroCard really did feel like a magical piece of technology when it debuted
never let the truth get in the way of a good prompt tweet
FWIW I don't actually think this is true and people have misread a story about MTV UK's extra channels (that were added about 10-15 years ago) being shut down but I'm monitoring the U.S. MTV channels anyway just to see
MTV is officially ending all of its music channels.
In honor of that, what's your favorite music video?
In honor of that, what's your favorite music video?
December 31, 2025 at 6:40 PM
never let the truth get in the way of a good prompt tweet
got partway through this very good piece, saw the name Dan Rather, and went "oh noooooo"
As it happens, I have experience with high-level government demands to stop an explosive, accurate story from running, and I also have experience with 60 Minutes spiking a story I was involved in, so I have thoughts about the travesty at CBS. If you want some journalism anecdotes, here are a lot:
Watching Bari Weiss Murder Investigative Journalism at CBS
Notes from someone who's withstood White House demands to stop an explosive story—and who once even had a 60 Minutes piece spiked
www.forever-wars.com
December 31, 2025 at 4:27 AM
got partway through this very good piece, saw the name Dan Rather, and went "oh noooooo"
Reposted by Samit Sarkar
Terrible, always a total magnet. His story about getting cast in Goodfellas, basically his first movie, is so charming www.avclub.com/isiah-whitlo...
![Well, fast forward to Goodfellas. That was sort of like a feeding frenzy in New York City, and I got an audition for it. I went in and I auditioned for the guy who gets who owns the nightclub—he gets hit over the head with a bottle by Joe Pesci. And I thought, “Well, look, they’re not going to cast me as this guy.” I mean, it didn’t make sense, you know? But I got a callback! So I went back and I go into the room, and Martin Scorsese says, “What do I know you from? I know you from somewhere.” I said, “Well, I did those readings at Paul Newman’s for you, for The Color Of Money. He said, “Oh, that’s right, that’s right! Look, that part you auditioned for—obviously, you can’t do that part of. It just wouldn’t work. But I have this character!” He’s a doctor and it’s in the part of the movie where he’s like the only person that that Henry Hill trusts while he’s all coked out and everything like that. He said, “Do you think you could do that for me? I know it’s not much, but if you could do it for me, I would really appreciate it.” And I’m sitting there thinking, “Okay, act like you’ve been there before.” [Laughs.] I said, “Yeah, sure, Marty. I mean, you know, it’s not about the size of the part. It’s what we do!” So he says thanks, and that’s how I got cast! [Laughs.] I didn’t say, “Well, gee, Marty, I have never done a movie before hardly.” But I got cast in Goodfellas—that’s how all of that happened.
I do remember I went to my day job—I was a waiter at a place on 10th Avenue—and I said, “I just got a part in Goodfellas!” And they said, “No way! Get out!” I said, “No, I met with Martin Scorsese, and they’re going to cast me as this doctor.” And one of the guys said, “Oh, I’m going down there tomorrow, and I’m taking my stuff, because if you got a part, I know I’m going to get a part.” [Laughs.] He was like, “They must just be handing out parts—they must need tons of people if they cast you—you just got here!” So he went down there and he didn’t get a part. And here I a…](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:bck7uabvjt4xu5uzn3exzhqj/bafkreihprpksbsipsbrgqrbrjh2t7moeap457yglhouhssilvkmowqc654@jpeg)
December 30, 2025 at 11:07 PM
Terrible, always a total magnet. His story about getting cast in Goodfellas, basically his first movie, is so charming www.avclub.com/isiah-whitlo...
more than once over the past eight months I have looked at a job listing and seriously considered just posting on here "okay, which one of you good people at [insert publication here] wants to help a brother out with a referral? 🥺"
*cue "Is this a pigeon?" meme except with "Is this networking?"*
*cue "Is this a pigeon?" meme except with "Is this networking?"*
my take on networking is it fucking sucks and is too hard. not really a deep one just been thinking that for the past few days people have been talking it over on here
December 30, 2025 at 7:41 PM
more than once over the past eight months I have looked at a job listing and seriously considered just posting on here "okay, which one of you good people at [insert publication here] wants to help a brother out with a referral? 🥺"
*cue "Is this a pigeon?" meme except with "Is this networking?"*
*cue "Is this a pigeon?" meme except with "Is this networking?"*
Reposted by Samit Sarkar
One of the best to ever do it
December 30, 2025 at 2:09 PM
One of the best to ever do it
Reposted by Samit Sarkar
This is true and I was the only one on set excited about it (and playing the song on my phone to blank stares)
Just watched the new Knives Out and I think it's really important you know that the scene in the Seminary's Gym is filmed in the same place Rick Astley filmed the music video for Never Gonna Give You Up.
I saw the window tracery and immediately made my friends pause the film so I could tell them.
I saw the window tracery and immediately made my friends pause the film so I could tell them.
December 30, 2025 at 4:21 AM
This is true and I was the only one on set excited about it (and playing the song on my phone to blank stares)
man, I remember the glory days of the mid-2000s, when, as a college student, I had trailers.apple.com bookmarked and visited it daily to download (so as to avoid the hiccups of buffering while streaming) stuff like therewillbeblood-tlr2_1080p.mov — a godsend back when YouTube maxed out at 720p!
From my man @bilgeebiri.bsky.social's great piece on movie marketing:
www.vulture.com/article/movi...
www.vulture.com/article/movi...
December 30, 2025 at 3:19 AM
man, I remember the glory days of the mid-2000s, when, as a college student, I had trailers.apple.com bookmarked and visited it daily to download (so as to avoid the hiccups of buffering while streaming) stuff like therewillbeblood-tlr2_1080p.mov — a godsend back when YouTube maxed out at 720p!
you gotta read this, but you also gotta have a box of tissues nearby
This essay by the author of a recent well-reviewed book about Tolkien starts modestly and then stabs you with a Morgul-blade halfway through, where you are pinioned by a twist in the telling. You may never recover. www.nytimes.com/2025/12/19/o...
Opinion | Why I Keep Returning to Middle-Earth
www.nytimes.com
December 28, 2025 at 7:15 PM
you gotta read this, but you also gotta have a box of tissues nearby
I enjoyed watching this last night way more than the game itself
last night a 104 year old ww2 veteran performed the national anthem on saxophone at the new york islanders game. you will not regret watching this. it was wonderful youtu.be/ik0KAUtVewk?...
104 year old World War 2 Veteran Performs National Anthem at Rangers vs Islanders Game | 12/27/2025
YouTube video by New York Islanders
youtu.be
December 28, 2025 at 2:44 PM
I enjoyed watching this last night way more than the game itself
the fruit-forward menu at Rottin' Berries is to die for
You’ve just opened up a Star Trek Themed Restaurant.
What are you calling it?
What are you calling it?
ncc-1701-g is written on the side of a spaceship
ALT: ncc-1701-g is written on the side of a spaceship
media.tenor.com
December 28, 2025 at 1:03 AM
the fruit-forward menu at Rottin' Berries is to die for
Incredible whiplash during the intro to the Rangers-Isles game tonight: The PA announcer began by saying the flags would be presented by the CBP Honor Guard (boooooooo), then introduced a 104-year-old World War II veteran who proceeded to play the national anthem on a soprano sax (USA! USA!).
December 27, 2025 at 11:15 PM
Incredible whiplash during the intro to the Rangers-Isles game tonight: The PA announcer began by saying the flags would be presented by the CBP Honor Guard (boooooooo), then introduced a 104-year-old World War II veteran who proceeded to play the national anthem on a soprano sax (USA! USA!).
Reposted by Samit Sarkar
This is the funniest shit I have ever seen. He kicks the dude in the beans and then mocks him
another robot highlight for 2025: man wearing humanoid mocap suit kicks himself in the balls
December 27, 2025 at 5:36 PM
This is the funniest shit I have ever seen. He kicks the dude in the beans and then mocks him
"The absence of images from radio and podcasting isn't some failure of technology. These audio mediums have grown from a deep love of sound and its imaginative possibilities."
‘Painful to hear!’ How podcasts’ rush to video is turning them into dreadful listens
‘Painful to hear!’ How podcasts’ rush to video is turning them into dreadful listens
From Joe Marler’s visual-only stunts to the incomprehensible shuffling sounds Steven Bartlett recently subjected headphone users to, dodgy audio experiences are on the rise
www.theguardian.com
December 27, 2025 at 6:23 PM
"The absence of images from radio and podcasting isn't some failure of technology. These audio mediums have grown from a deep love of sound and its imaginative possibilities."
Reposted by Samit Sarkar
1. The name of the highest peak in suburban Atlanta is notable in its relation to the name of Major League Baseball's controversial first Commissioner. What is that peak's name?
NO, WHAT'S THE GUY ON SECOND
#LL107 #bestwronganswers
NO, WHAT'S THE GUY ON SECOND
#LL107 #bestwronganswers
December 27, 2025 at 3:00 AM
1. The name of the highest peak in suburban Atlanta is notable in its relation to the name of Major League Baseball's controversial first Commissioner. What is that peak's name?
NO, WHAT'S THE GUY ON SECOND
#LL107 #bestwronganswers
NO, WHAT'S THE GUY ON SECOND
#LL107 #bestwronganswers
the writers of Pluribus seem like a pretty smart bunch, so it was absolutely wild to read (see footnote 2) that it never occurred to any of them that some viewers might find it annoying to hear a certain voicemail repeated, in full, for the umpteenth time
About That Last Moment in the ‘Pluribus’ Season Finale
Vince Gilligan, Rhea Seehorn, and more break down how they arrived at Season 1’s end point—and the lessons taken from ‘Breaking Bad’ and ‘Better Call Saul’ to get there
www.theringer.com
December 27, 2025 at 1:53 AM
the writers of Pluribus seem like a pretty smart bunch, so it was absolutely wild to read (see footnote 2) that it never occurred to any of them that some viewers might find it annoying to hear a certain voicemail repeated, in full, for the umpteenth time
I gotta say that I've felt pretty disconnected from video games since I lost my job at Polygon, so I'm finding this thread to be an incredible public service
you already know what's up
(steam sale rec thread is what's up)
as always, i focus primarily on older, obscure, and just plain weird games, as big name titles don't need the help.
so, onwards!
(steam sale rec thread is what's up)
as always, i focus primarily on older, obscure, and just plain weird games, as big name titles don't need the help.
so, onwards!
December 26, 2025 at 5:31 PM
I gotta say that I've felt pretty disconnected from video games since I lost my job at Polygon, so I'm finding this thread to be an incredible public service
Reposted by Samit Sarkar
I've seen this going around today and it's beautiful, so here's a gift link.
Opinion | Martin Scorsese: ‘Rob Reiner Was My Friend’
www.nytimes.com
December 25, 2025 at 6:17 PM
I've seen this going around today and it's beautiful, so here's a gift link.
Reposted by Samit Sarkar
ICYMI: The full Law Dork report on Tuesday’s big SCOTUS decision against the Trump administration in its effort to send troops into American cities.
Supreme Court, on a 6-3 vote, rejects Trump's effort to deploy National Guard in Illinois for now
More than two months after DOJ asked for "immediate" relief, the Supreme Court said no on Tuesday. Also: A Kavanaugh note on Kavanaugh stops.
www.lawdork.com
December 24, 2025 at 5:31 PM
ICYMI: The full Law Dork report on Tuesday’s big SCOTUS decision against the Trump administration in its effort to send troops into American cities.
my people!!!
People at my screening of Avatar 3 cheered when Payakan showed up.
December 24, 2025 at 2:50 AM
my people!!!
Reposted by Samit Sarkar
Yes. That’s why I say “don’t stop commenting” on SCOTUS decisions and practices. It matters.
Check out the Kavanaugh FN 4; I think it's pretty clear that the Kavanaugh Stop thing has gotten to him:
December 24, 2025 at 2:12 AM
Yes. That’s why I say “don’t stop commenting” on SCOTUS decisions and practices. It matters.
Reposted by Samit Sarkar
Political and corporate spokespeople now regularly treat a request for comment from the mainstream media as an opportunity to drop a free ad into the middle of the story. Bad faith non-responses should just be discarded, with a note that they declined to respond to the substance of the question.
WH spokesperson Abigail Jackson said "60 Minutes should spend their time and energy amplifying the stories of Angel Parents, whose innocent American children have tragically been murdered by vicious illegal aliens that President Trump are removing from the country."
December 23, 2025 at 8:20 PM
Political and corporate spokespeople now regularly treat a request for comment from the mainstream media as an opportunity to drop a free ad into the middle of the story. Bad faith non-responses should just be discarded, with a note that they declined to respond to the substance of the question.