Steven desJardins
@stdesjardins.bsky.social
DC native, science fiction fan, COVID-cautious, living in Penn Quarter. I am vegetarian, have ankylosing spondylitis, and am a fan of the Criterion Channel. I spent four months of Budapest in 1986, and am I still trying to learn the language.
Reposted by Steven desJardins
this field biologist does a great job highlighting the insidiousness of AI editing
these one-click AI edit buttons are incredibly appealing to many photographers, amateurs and professionals alike, and are framed as innocuous
this is worth sharing and educating people about
these one-click AI edit buttons are incredibly appealing to many photographers, amateurs and professionals alike, and are framed as innocuous
this is worth sharing and educating people about
December 15, 2025 at 2:21 AM
this field biologist does a great job highlighting the insidiousness of AI editing
these one-click AI edit buttons are incredibly appealing to many photographers, amateurs and professionals alike, and are framed as innocuous
this is worth sharing and educating people about
these one-click AI edit buttons are incredibly appealing to many photographers, amateurs and professionals alike, and are framed as innocuous
this is worth sharing and educating people about
Reposted by Steven desJardins
Judaism is not a religion. It’s something western languages don’t have a single word for. We are, to paraphrase Dara Horn, a joinable tribal group with closed ritual practices. To reduce us to religion is colonial thinking and minimizes the richness of our culture and peoplehood.
December 14, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Judaism is not a religion. It’s something western languages don’t have a single word for. We are, to paraphrase Dara Horn, a joinable tribal group with closed ritual practices. To reduce us to religion is colonial thinking and minimizes the richness of our culture and peoplehood.
There is a non-trivial chance that Musk thinks mRNA can turn people into butterflies because he read this meme.
the reason I know this is not true is that if it was Elon would already be this guy
December 15, 2025 at 1:56 AM
There is a non-trivial chance that Musk thinks mRNA can turn people into butterflies because he read this meme.
Reposted by Steven desJardins
"This murder of Jews wouldn't have occurred if those Jews way over there hadn't done something to deserve it" is Nazi talk and you need to automatically report and block anyone who says it. Yes, even the cool leftists.
you know the Nazis also blamed the Jews for Kristallnacht, you can find many German diplomats expressing regret about the events followed by "but what can you expect when the Jews act this way?"
December 14, 2025 at 7:36 PM
"This murder of Jews wouldn't have occurred if those Jews way over there hadn't done something to deserve it" is Nazi talk and you need to automatically report and block anyone who says it. Yes, even the cool leftists.
Reposted by Steven desJardins
No, Jews around the world don't suffer because of the actions of the government of Israel. Jews around the world suffer because antisemites use the actions of the government of Israel to justify attacks on Jews. And if you make the same association, you're also an antisemite.
December 14, 2025 at 3:50 PM
No, Jews around the world don't suffer because of the actions of the government of Israel. Jews around the world suffer because antisemites use the actions of the government of Israel to justify attacks on Jews. And if you make the same association, you're also an antisemite.
Reposted by Steven desJardins
One of the best exchanges I’ve ever seen on social media was when Lt. Cmndr Data and Bert the Chimney Sweep got into a rumble over Angela Lansbury.
January 6, 2024 at 8:19 PM
One of the best exchanges I’ve ever seen on social media was when Lt. Cmndr Data and Bert the Chimney Sweep got into a rumble over Angela Lansbury.
I don't think I ever met Arthur Hlavaty, but he was a cherished part of my early online experience, back in the days of Usenet newsgroups. My condolences to his family and everyone who knew him.
Arthur D. Hlavaty died in his sleep early this morning.
I believe this FB post from Bernadette is publicly visible and has all the important things: the love, the loss, the profound sense of confusion about how the world can keep going.
I believe this FB post from Bernadette is publicly visible and has all the important things: the love, the loss, the profound sense of confusion about how the world can keep going.
Bernadette Bosky
Still at the PT/care facility, eager to come home and eagerly awaited, Arthur Hlavaty died last night.
The death was totally unexpected, & no one seems sure of the specifics. We considered an...
www.facebook.com
December 11, 2025 at 5:00 PM
I don't think I ever met Arthur Hlavaty, but he was a cherished part of my early online experience, back in the days of Usenet newsgroups. My condolences to his family and everyone who knew him.
Reposted by Steven desJardins
God, yes. The SAT prep book they gave us in the prep class in high school (it was that kind of school district) was the first to ever explicitly say to me "you are not supposed to choose the correct answer, you are supposed to choose the answer the test maker thinks is correct". Mind: blown!
December 11, 2025 at 11:03 AM
God, yes. The SAT prep book they gave us in the prep class in high school (it was that kind of school district) was the first to ever explicitly say to me "you are not supposed to choose the correct answer, you are supposed to choose the answer the test maker thinks is correct". Mind: blown!
No part of this is part of ICE's legitimate law enforcement functions, and it should not be treated as such. This was a hate crime, a racist physical assault carried out purely because these people rejoice in racist violence, and they should be charged and convicted on that basis.
ICE detain U.S. citizen for looking Somali—use illegal chokehold to tackle him to ground.
Man repeatedly begs agents to look at his digital passport ID—they refuse.
Drove him 7 miles away before releasing him alone into Minnesota snow storm—told him to "walk home" in freezing weather advisory.
Man repeatedly begs agents to look at his digital passport ID—they refuse.
Drove him 7 miles away before releasing him alone into Minnesota snow storm—told him to "walk home" in freezing weather advisory.
December 11, 2025 at 1:16 PM
No part of this is part of ICE's legitimate law enforcement functions, and it should not be treated as such. This was a hate crime, a racist physical assault carried out purely because these people rejoice in racist violence, and they should be charged and convicted on that basis.
Reposted by Steven desJardins
I would walk 500 miles, but I don't think I would walk 500 more. I would be very tired after walking 500 miles. I'd want to sleep.
December 10, 2025 at 6:41 PM
I would walk 500 miles, but I don't think I would walk 500 more. I would be very tired after walking 500 miles. I'd want to sleep.
Reposted by Steven desJardins
This is very cool. The manipulation-busters of the future will be hacks like this one: reengineering the system to expose the algorithms beneath and how they trick us...
I wanted dinner recommendations so I scraped 13,000+ London restaurants and accidentally discovered Google Maps is running a shadow economy. Anyway here's a dashboard and a political economy thesis: open.substack.com/pub/laurenle...
How Google Maps quietly allocates survival across London’s restaurants - and how I built a dashboard to see through it
I wanted a dinner recommendation and got a research agenda instead. Using 13000+ restaurants, I rebuild its ratings with machine learning and map how algorithmic visibility actually distributes power.
open.substack.com
December 10, 2025 at 11:25 AM
This is very cool. The manipulation-busters of the future will be hacks like this one: reengineering the system to expose the algorithms beneath and how they trick us...
Reposted by Steven desJardins
this is a single for sure, just so it doesn't have to wait til the rest of the album is done. been very popular with Alaskan audiences so far. the singalong energy is great.
It's Denali. Hope this one makes the next album. @mariancall.bsky.social w/ Kelsey Riker & Cate Ross at Amalga.
December 7, 2025 at 5:37 AM
this is a single for sure, just so it doesn't have to wait til the rest of the album is done. been very popular with Alaskan audiences so far. the singalong energy is great.
Reposted by Steven desJardins
A very important thread. When I was probably no more than 10, I saw this picture of the woman known as Harlow in the Philly Inquirer. A little babygay, I was shocked that such a glamour queen could live in my hometown and even more shocked to see her described as "a former man."
December 6, 2025 at 3:33 PM
A very important thread. When I was probably no more than 10, I saw this picture of the woman known as Harlow in the Philly Inquirer. A little babygay, I was shocked that such a glamour queen could live in my hometown and even more shocked to see her described as "a former man."
This is a cute app, which analyzes your Bluesky activity and characterizes it in terms of an animal analogy.
December 7, 2025 at 2:25 PM
This is a cute app, which analyzes your Bluesky activity and characterizes it in terms of an animal analogy.
Reposted by Steven desJardins
If the writer’s eyes light up when asked, “why did the character do that?” then it’s real.
December 5, 2025 at 9:51 PM
If the writer’s eyes light up when asked, “why did the character do that?” then it’s real.
Reposted by Steven desJardins
“Are Mormons more Christian than Catholics” - the greatest thread in the history of Baptist forums, locked by a moderator after 12,239 pages of heated debate
Today in Schism:
Robert Griffin III claims the committee is “persecuting Christians” by ranking Notre Dame ahead of BYU
Robert Griffin III claims the committee is “persecuting Christians” by ranking Notre Dame ahead of BYU
December 3, 2025 at 1:30 PM
“Are Mormons more Christian than Catholics” - the greatest thread in the history of Baptist forums, locked by a moderator after 12,239 pages of heated debate
Reposted by Steven desJardins
When we hit puberty I discovered girls. Jack discovered both girls and boys, and really, girls were just a passing phase for him. After that we drifted apart -- not just because of that, but because we were following different paths in school and had developed different interests.
After reading some of the powerful posts about World AIDS Day I find myself wanting to post my own feeble contribution.
When I was four I met a kid named Jack who lived across the street from me, and who was just two months younger than me. We quickly became best friends.
When I was four I met a kid named Jack who lived across the street from me, and who was just two months younger than me. We quickly became best friends.
December 2, 2025 at 6:40 AM
When we hit puberty I discovered girls. Jack discovered both girls and boys, and really, girls were just a passing phase for him. After that we drifted apart -- not just because of that, but because we were following different paths in school and had developed different interests.
Reposted by Steven desJardins
Eleven years ago, I wrote to Tom Stoppard to ask about this coup de théâtre from 1949. It took me down an unexpected rabbit hole - in memory of Stoppard, here's what I found.
November 30, 2025 at 1:38 PM
Eleven years ago, I wrote to Tom Stoppard to ask about this coup de théâtre from 1949. It took me down an unexpected rabbit hole - in memory of Stoppard, here's what I found.
Introduce yourself with five animals you’ve seen in the wild.
Elephant
Giant Tortoise
Lion
Penguin
Whale Shark
Elephant
Giant Tortoise
Lion
Penguin
Whale Shark
Introduce yourself with 5 animals you've seen in the wild
Humpback whale
Grey seal
Puffin
Pelican
Black bear
Humpback whale
Grey seal
Puffin
Pelican
Black bear
Introduce yourself with 5 animals you’ve seen in the wild:
Ling cod
Joro spider
Dall's porpoise
Cornetfish
Luciola firefly
Ling cod
Joro spider
Dall's porpoise
Cornetfish
Luciola firefly
November 29, 2025 at 9:58 AM
Introduce yourself with five animals you’ve seen in the wild.
Elephant
Giant Tortoise
Lion
Penguin
Whale Shark
Elephant
Giant Tortoise
Lion
Penguin
Whale Shark
Reposted by Steven desJardins
CRIMINAL: please, I have a family
BATMAN: [starts beating the shit out of him even harder]
BATMAN: [starts beating the shit out of him even harder]
November 27, 2025 at 7:24 AM
CRIMINAL: please, I have a family
BATMAN: [starts beating the shit out of him even harder]
BATMAN: [starts beating the shit out of him even harder]
Reposted by Steven desJardins
OMG I get to tell Claire Willett the story of the Christmas Cake from 2013. I love the internet.
(If you recognize this story it's because my sister submitted it to Carolyn Hax's Holiday Hoot a few years ago, along with another story about a bloody massacre of gingerbread men by gingerbread dinos.)
(If you recognize this story it's because my sister submitted it to Carolyn Hax's Holiday Hoot a few years ago, along with another story about a bloody massacre of gingerbread men by gingerbread dinos.)
yes, hello, I would like to place an order for everyone’s funniest stories of holiday food-related family grudges / drama / chaotic incidents / lore
I feel like we need this
I feel like we need this
November 25, 2025 at 12:27 AM
OMG I get to tell Claire Willett the story of the Christmas Cake from 2013. I love the internet.
(If you recognize this story it's because my sister submitted it to Carolyn Hax's Holiday Hoot a few years ago, along with another story about a bloody massacre of gingerbread men by gingerbread dinos.)
(If you recognize this story it's because my sister submitted it to Carolyn Hax's Holiday Hoot a few years ago, along with another story about a bloody massacre of gingerbread men by gingerbread dinos.)
I was going to follow a cookbook recipe but I ran out of thyme.
November 23, 2025 at 8:53 PM
I was going to follow a cookbook recipe but I ran out of thyme.
Reposted by Steven desJardins
Give me a main character who genuinely wants to improve the world and is motivated by altruism even if their tactics aren't ideal and I'm there, but I'm so fucking tired of grim unlikeable people doing terrible things and wrecking everything and everyone around them.
November 21, 2025 at 9:22 PM
Give me a main character who genuinely wants to improve the world and is motivated by altruism even if their tactics aren't ideal and I'm there, but I'm so fucking tired of grim unlikeable people doing terrible things and wrecking everything and everyone around them.
Reposted by Steven desJardins
Honestly we are much more sheep than wolves - intensely political, terrified of anything new in the environment, and extremely hostile to outgroup sheep who arrive as newcomers and try to join the flock.
November 18, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Honestly we are much more sheep than wolves - intensely political, terrified of anything new in the environment, and extremely hostile to outgroup sheep who arrive as newcomers and try to join the flock.