Steve Burtch
@stephenburtch.bsky.social
Trying to not exceed whatever rate limits exist on this app.
Hockey. Science. Politics. Education. Other BS. In whatever order occurs to me at the time.
Just sharing my opinions.
Hockey. Science. Politics. Education. Other BS. In whatever order occurs to me at the time.
Just sharing my opinions.
-64°C is -83.2°F
-64° C. JFC
The polar vortex continues to grip parts of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut with extreme cold, bringing the harshest conditions seen in decades, even by northern standards.
https://ow.ly/mjcS50YfcIM
https://ow.ly/mjcS50YfcIM
February 13, 2026 at 5:14 PM
-64°C is -83.2°F
Reposted by Steve Burtch
This is the all Star broadcast crew. Sort of interesting really.
February 12, 2026 at 5:32 PM
This is the all Star broadcast crew. Sort of interesting really.
Reposted by Steve Burtch
UPDATE: Kinsella has been fired.
BREAKING from Brendan Lyons: A panel of federal judges, who last summer declined to make their own pick to fill the role of interim U.S. Attorney for NY's sprawling Northern District, on Wednesday swore in Donald Kinsella to the post — setting up a possible confrontation with the Trump admin.
Northern District judges appoint Donald Kinsella as new interim U.S. attorney
A panel of judges for New York’s Northern District on Wednesday appointed Donald T. Kinsella, a former longtime federal prosecutor, as the district’s interim U.S. attorney.
www.timesunion.com
February 12, 2026 at 2:23 AM
UPDATE: Kinsella has been fired.
He is basically ripping the catapult idea off of SpinLaunch... But their prototype never made it to market because accelerating objects to supersonic speeds in a vacuumed centrifuge is a problem when the satellite encounters the atmosphere on launch.
www.spinlaunch.com
Rockets aren't efficient tbh
www.spinlaunch.com
Rockets aren't efficient tbh
February 11, 2026 at 11:47 PM
He is basically ripping the catapult idea off of SpinLaunch... But their prototype never made it to market because accelerating objects to supersonic speeds in a vacuumed centrifuge is a problem when the satellite encounters the atmosphere on launch.
www.spinlaunch.com
Rockets aren't efficient tbh
www.spinlaunch.com
Rockets aren't efficient tbh
Trump will simply veto the legislation, but the signal is pretty clear that the majority of Congressional reps do not support the tariff regime.
February 11, 2026 at 11:33 PM
Trump will simply veto the legislation, but the signal is pretty clear that the majority of Congressional reps do not support the tariff regime.
Now see, THIS is a significant revolt against Trump's authority and an indicator of what is happening politically in the US.
(Bloomberg) — The Republican-led US House passed legislation aimed at ending President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canada, signaling a growing anxiety over the White House’s economic agenda ahead of a midterm election focused heavily on affordability.
US House Defies Trump and Votes to End His Canada Tariffs
The Republican-led US House passed legislation aimed at ending President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canada, signaling a growing anxiety over the White House’s economic agenda ahead of a midterm electio...
www.bloomberg.com
February 11, 2026 at 11:32 PM
Now see, THIS is a significant revolt against Trump's authority and an indicator of what is happening politically in the US.
In 2006 - I was helping my older (and younger) colleagues with such tasks.
And in 2016.
And in 2026.
Age isn't really relevant to this anymore.
My Dad is in his 70's and he manages his computers entirely fine.
And in 2016.
And in 2026.
Age isn't really relevant to this anymore.
My Dad is in his 70's and he manages his computers entirely fine.
it is the year 2026, I am approaching my mid-30s, and I am still helping older colleagues with basic computer tasks such as converting a word doc to a PDF
I expect to do so until they’re all dead
I expect to do so until they’re all dead
February 11, 2026 at 11:30 PM
In 2006 - I was helping my older (and younger) colleagues with such tasks.
And in 2016.
And in 2026.
Age isn't really relevant to this anymore.
My Dad is in his 70's and he manages his computers entirely fine.
And in 2016.
And in 2026.
Age isn't really relevant to this anymore.
My Dad is in his 70's and he manages his computers entirely fine.
Remember how we are told that there is no way these *same companies* would be constantly recording and listening to all the audio the mics we constantly carry in our pockets are picking up.
If they are storing ALL of the video from every Ring camera, do you still believe they aren't storing audio?
If they are storing ALL of the video from every Ring camera, do you still believe they aren't storing audio?
Here's a hidden secret of doorbell cameras, as revealed by Nancy Guthrie's kidnapping. They're recording even when you don't know it, and sending video to company servers even when you don't pay
February 11, 2026 at 5:27 PM
Remember how we are told that there is no way these *same companies* would be constantly recording and listening to all the audio the mics we constantly carry in our pockets are picking up.
If they are storing ALL of the video from every Ring camera, do you still believe they aren't storing audio?
If they are storing ALL of the video from every Ring camera, do you still believe they aren't storing audio?
Another form of ladder pull.
Don't bother with that time consuming and/or pricey education since the AI we control will think for you. We don't want you to be able to think for yourself. That would be wasteful.
Don't bother with that time consuming and/or pricey education since the AI we control will think for you. We don't want you to be able to think for yourself. That would be wasteful.
Guy who doesn’t know anything thinks you shouldn’t either.
Ex-Google exec says degrees in law and medicine are a waste of time because they take so long to complete that AI will catch up by graduation | Fortune
“Higher education as we know it is on the verge of becoming obsolete,” the former Google AI leader told Fortune.
fortune.com
February 11, 2026 at 5:23 PM
Another form of ladder pull.
Don't bother with that time consuming and/or pricey education since the AI we control will think for you. We don't want you to be able to think for yourself. That would be wasteful.
Don't bother with that time consuming and/or pricey education since the AI we control will think for you. We don't want you to be able to think for yourself. That would be wasteful.
Autarky for everyone!
Yay!
(This is sarcastic)
Yay!
(This is sarcastic)
French President Emmanuel Macron: “So many times we invest in and finance non-European solutions. We are crazy.”
February 11, 2026 at 5:13 PM
Autarky for everyone!
Yay!
(This is sarcastic)
Yay!
(This is sarcastic)
Reposted by Steve Burtch
let's take toronto's newest transit line on a weekday afternoon to see how it's performing!
ridership is pretty strong going west from eglinton, and trains are standing room-only with commuters, but not sardined.
the system feels busy. eglinton and cedarvale have high transfers volumes
1/6
ridership is pretty strong going west from eglinton, and trains are standing room-only with commuters, but not sardined.
the system feels busy. eglinton and cedarvale have high transfers volumes
1/6
February 11, 2026 at 2:07 AM
let's take toronto's newest transit line on a weekday afternoon to see how it's performing!
ridership is pretty strong going west from eglinton, and trains are standing room-only with commuters, but not sardined.
the system feels busy. eglinton and cedarvale have high transfers volumes
1/6
ridership is pretty strong going west from eglinton, and trains are standing room-only with commuters, but not sardined.
the system feels busy. eglinton and cedarvale have high transfers volumes
1/6
Reposted by Steve Burtch
Unsurprisingly, Trump's immigration crackdown is still not delivering labor market improvements for the US-born
Over the last year, native-born unemployment is up from 4.3% to 4.7% while native-born employment has decreased
Over the last year, native-born unemployment is up from 4.3% to 4.7% while native-born employment has decreased
February 11, 2026 at 2:34 PM
Unsurprisingly, Trump's immigration crackdown is still not delivering labor market improvements for the US-born
Over the last year, native-born unemployment is up from 4.3% to 4.7% while native-born employment has decreased
Over the last year, native-born unemployment is up from 4.3% to 4.7% while native-born employment has decreased
Reposted by Steve Burtch
With a population ten times smaller than the US, Canada's job creation performance in 2025 compares quite favourably:
February 11, 2026 at 2:23 PM
With a population ten times smaller than the US, Canada's job creation performance in 2025 compares quite favourably:
Reposted by Steve Burtch
U.S. jobs growth is *entirely* one sector.
Last month, growth in private education and health services accounted for +137k of +130k jobs added
Over the past three months, it's +246k of +219k
Last six months: +367k of +85k
Last year: +773k of +359k
Last month, growth in private education and health services accounted for +137k of +130k jobs added
Over the past three months, it's +246k of +219k
Last six months: +367k of +85k
Last year: +773k of +359k
February 11, 2026 at 1:47 PM
U.S. jobs growth is *entirely* one sector.
Last month, growth in private education and health services accounted for +137k of +130k jobs added
Over the past three months, it's +246k of +219k
Last six months: +367k of +85k
Last year: +773k of +359k
Last month, growth in private education and health services accounted for +137k of +130k jobs added
Over the past three months, it's +246k of +219k
Last six months: +367k of +85k
Last year: +773k of +359k
So I see lots of economists saying the jobs report is "good" - and this graph pinpoints why I would refute that assessment.
In January, ~82,000 of the ~130,000 jobs added to the US economy were in healthcare (~50K in ambulatory care and another ~12K in nursing/residential care).
In January, ~82,000 of the ~130,000 jobs added to the US economy were in healthcare (~50K in ambulatory care and another ~12K in nursing/residential care).
February 11, 2026 at 2:40 PM
So I see lots of economists saying the jobs report is "good" - and this graph pinpoints why I would refute that assessment.
In January, ~82,000 of the ~130,000 jobs added to the US economy were in healthcare (~50K in ambulatory care and another ~12K in nursing/residential care).
In January, ~82,000 of the ~130,000 jobs added to the US economy were in healthcare (~50K in ambulatory care and another ~12K in nursing/residential care).
I'm not sure this bodes well for the US economy at all tbh (quite the opposite).
February 11, 2026 at 2:34 PM
I'm not sure this bodes well for the US economy at all tbh (quite the opposite).
This ladder pull shit humanity does endlessly needs to stop.
Switzerland to vote on plan to cap population at 10mn ft.trib.al/25YfNpV
Switzerland to vote on plan to cap population at 10mn
Country currently has 9.1mn permanent residents and experts fear the move would limit companies’ access to foreign talent
ft.trib.al
February 11, 2026 at 1:58 PM
This ladder pull shit humanity does endlessly needs to stop.
Why are we still laundering this nonsense.
LLMs are complex mathematical algorithms, simply a system probabilistically calculating the most likely next token.
It is objectively minimizing the space between predicted and actual text outcome. It has no "desire" or "intent" or life imperative.
LLMs are complex mathematical algorithms, simply a system probabilistically calculating the most likely next token.
It is objectively minimizing the space between predicted and actual text outcome. It has no "desire" or "intent" or life imperative.
Researchers working with the A.I. system Claude have come to understand that the model’s selfhood, like our own, is a matter of both neurons and narratives. newyorkermag.visitlink.me/kEX1vV
February 11, 2026 at 7:02 AM
Why are we still laundering this nonsense.
LLMs are complex mathematical algorithms, simply a system probabilistically calculating the most likely next token.
It is objectively minimizing the space between predicted and actual text outcome. It has no "desire" or "intent" or life imperative.
LLMs are complex mathematical algorithms, simply a system probabilistically calculating the most likely next token.
It is objectively minimizing the space between predicted and actual text outcome. It has no "desire" or "intent" or life imperative.
Saw a clip from the Dangle podcast on Instagram saying the Leafs can't draw any penalty calls because of where they rank across the last decade.
Hate to break it, but it isn't a rigged system.
Hate to break it, but it isn't a rigged system.
February 11, 2026 at 6:48 AM
Saw a clip from the Dangle podcast on Instagram saying the Leafs can't draw any penalty calls because of where they rank across the last decade.
Hate to break it, but it isn't a rigged system.
Hate to break it, but it isn't a rigged system.
Reposted by Steve Burtch
Isabella Wranå won gold for curling, but should've for this video
February 11, 2026 at 1:09 AM
Isabella Wranå won gold for curling, but should've for this video
Reposted by Steve Burtch
WATCH: Seriously, if you’re following ANY bike-lane debate, you HAVE TO WATCH this news story. You actually can’t make this up. Ford claims without evidence that bike-lanes are bad for small business, and THE ACTUAL BUSINESS ASSOCIATION obliterates him with data.
Safe bike-lanes mean business.
Safe bike-lanes mean business.
Annex businesses tell Ford to back off Bloor bike lanes
Stores in the Annex say the Bloor bike lanes have been a big boost to business. As Michelle Mackey reports, the neighborhood's BIA wants the province to back off its new bill that could see the lanes ...
toronto.citynews.ca
February 11, 2026 at 1:33 AM
WATCH: Seriously, if you’re following ANY bike-lane debate, you HAVE TO WATCH this news story. You actually can’t make this up. Ford claims without evidence that bike-lanes are bad for small business, and THE ACTUAL BUSINESS ASSOCIATION obliterates him with data.
Safe bike-lanes mean business.
Safe bike-lanes mean business.
Reposted by Steve Burtch
Sora 2 apparently cost something like $5 billion to run every year and so far made OpenAI around $1.4 million.
February 10, 2026 at 10:49 PM
Sora 2 apparently cost something like $5 billion to run every year and so far made OpenAI around $1.4 million.
This is horrifying on so many levels.
“Four of my children just evaporated,” Badran said, holding back tears. “I looked for them a million times. Not a piece was left. Where did they go?”
There are no words to adequately describe the evil here.
There are no words to adequately describe the evil here.
Israel used weapons in Gaza that made thousands of Palestinians evaporate
US-made thermal weapons burning at 3,500C caused 2,842 people to "evaporate" in Gaza, Al Jazeera investigation finds.
www.aljazeera.com
February 10, 2026 at 10:48 PM
This is horrifying on so many levels.
Nevermind. This is... LoL bad.
Anthony Santander will undergo left labral surgery tomorrow and will miss 5-6 months per John Schneider.
Had a setback in January when ramping up hitting. Jays hope he comes back later in the season.
Had a setback in January when ramping up hitting. Jays hope he comes back later in the season.
February 10, 2026 at 10:45 PM
Nevermind. This is... LoL bad.