Tom
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alttag.bsky.social
Tom
@alttag.bsky.social
1.4K followers 120 following 8.8K posts
Not that kind of doctor. (PhD, Computer Information Systems) Reformed software developer. Job: Data policy, AI, research. Interests: Org behavior, education, law, economics. Opinions are my own.
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alttag.bsky.social
Two cans of Libby’s pumpkin… of different sizes!
November 14, 2025 at 11:07 PM
alttag.bsky.social
It could be worse: have you tried salmon-gelatin loaf?
Salmon gelatin loaf on a bed of lettuce, topped with cucumber slices. It does not look appetizing.
November 6, 2025 at 2:06 AM
alttag.bsky.social
“If you share easily google-able facts that I’ve never bothered to consider, you must be a bot.”

Go away.
Chat request from “Cinnamon”, after the first one was rejected and deleted. “Your lack of statistics-laden response leads me to believe that yea, you’re a bot, or at least a troll, so bravo. I feel really stupid for engaging with you at all. Job well done.” They’re “feeling stupid”, but for all the wrong reasons.
November 5, 2025 at 10:57 PM
alttag.bsky.social
This is (still) the icon I use to launch BlueSky. I read the news feeds and dream of happier times.
White Twitter bird icon on Twitter blue with Twitter label underneath.
October 27, 2025 at 9:36 PM
alttag.bsky.social
This little bastard EARNED that “Do not pet” patch today.
Little shit-poo (shitsu toy poodle mix) with a prominent underbite lounges on the back of the couch. He’s wearing a teal vest with a “do not pet” patch.
October 17, 2025 at 12:33 AM
alttag.bsky.social
🤣 You got me. 😳

Maybe she could use a co-author?
A picture of the book “The Power of the Badge” by Emily Farris and Mirya Holman. Seen in the background: Tonks, an oversized ginger house cat, allowing herself to be used as something to prop the book against.
October 8, 2025 at 6:38 PM
alttag.bsky.social
I don’t expect super high levels of quality from items ordered via Amazon, but this feels a bit egregious.
Velcro patches for a dog harness that should say “therapy dog”, but say “theraoy dog” instead.
October 4, 2025 at 10:28 PM
alttag.bsky.social
SO found this on a different social site, and I’ve never seen such a perfect expression of contemplated murder.
#TimelineCleanse
Grey and white kitten with murder on its face sits in a white box. It has a comic shark head hat that makes it look as if the kitten’s head is in its mouth. Same cat and box as previous image. The cat’s expression is somewhere between “not amused” and “when cats take over the world your head will be first on the chopping block.”
October 4, 2025 at 2:30 PM
alttag.bsky.social
The NAEP math scores don’t agree with you, even including the sharp COVID decline.

www.nationsreportcard.gov/reports/math...

See also the Newsweek article, which disagrees with you too.

www.newsweek.com/charts-readi...
From nationsreportcard.gov, chart titled “Trend in eighth-grade NEAP mathematics achievement level results. 2024 shows 28% at “proficient” or “advanced” level, and 39%+33% at “below basic” and “basic” respectively. Compared with 1990, which had 48% “below basic”, and 37% “basic” and 15% “proficient” or higher. 1990 and 1994 (some other years shown but not relevant here) marked with an asterisk, showing statically significant differences from those years to 2024 at the p < 0.05 level (level mentioned in article, but not shown in screenshot).
October 2, 2025 at 7:31 PM
alttag.bsky.social
HUD.gov out there committing blatant Hatch Act violations.

The Hatch Act desperately needs a criminal penalty.
Bright red background, white text hero landing page on HUD web site says “The Radical Left in Congress shut down the government. HUD will use available resources to help Americans in need.”
October 2, 2025 at 2:03 AM
alttag.bsky.social
Maybe you’ll revise your opinion after reading his shirt that says “Trump 2020: Make liberals cry again.”
Picture of screenshot of article lede (“Mormon church gunman was Marine who ‘supported Trump’ “ by Iona Cleave, 29 Sep 2025), with picture labeled to be of the purported shooter, Sanford. He’s wearing a T-shirt that appears to read “Trump 2020: male liberals cry again.”
September 29, 2025 at 7:46 PM
alttag.bsky.social
That’s an … interesting interpretation of this picture, purporting to be of his address.
“Trump/Vance” sign hangs on a fence. A “stop” sign is nearby.
September 29, 2025 at 6:42 PM
alttag.bsky.social
It’s be a bit of a drive for Molly, but Thor always welcomes scritches.
Small Shitzu-toy poodle mix is open-mouthed at the camera. Cream belly, snout, and eyebrows, with gray top and eyes. He’s wrapped in an enormous scarlet scarf and propped in front of a photographer’s imagining of a “Harry Potter” themed background screen. This is how I learned he must be from Gryffindor and not Hufflepuff.
September 11, 2025 at 9:26 PM
alttag.bsky.social
Saw this sign today on the freeway.

Pleased to see my red-state DoT is subtly comparing ICE to bridge trolls.
Yellow diamond traffic sign (U.S.) that reads “Watch for ICE on bridges.”
September 5, 2025 at 2:31 AM
alttag.bsky.social
Live shot of Brad discussing this suit with stylist.
Last frame of uncaptioned “but it might work for us” meme. Bald, mustachioed man talking with blonde woman.
August 30, 2025 at 4:41 PM
alttag.bsky.social
Just got our new print back from the framing shop. SO thinks the frame may be too gaudy. I think it captures a dragon hoard perfectly.

(Artist: Charles Urbach)
“Not All Treasure is Gold” (c) 2017 Charles Urbach, signed & numbered 52/250 Print of a long, thin red dragon perched on a pile of books, reading. Matted in gold & brown with ornate gold-colored frame.
August 28, 2025 at 6:05 PM
alttag.bsky.social
I have a personal email and a work email, and both are an utter mess.
Close crop of my phone Home Screen showing only the icon for Airmail, with a badge of 4,525 unread messages.
August 7, 2025 at 2:04 AM
alttag.bsky.social
#GenCon story:

In line for the @paizo.com multi-table special, and super pleased to discover SO knows how to make a proper trail mix.
A small, sandwich-sized ziplock bag of just M&Ms.
August 2, 2025 at 10:56 PM
alttag.bsky.social
If nothing else, we’re a warning to the rest of the world.
From despair.com, a “de-motivator” poster in the style of supposedly inspirational office posters. The picture shows a sinking ship at sea, only its bow above water. Sunset in the background. In large letters: “Mistakes” with subtitle “it could be that the purpose of your life is only to serve as a warning to others.”
July 29, 2025 at 2:25 AM
alttag.bsky.social
From the book on project management I just finished reading.

It’s difficult to observe what’s happening in the federal government and not nod when reading these assertions.
Picture of an open book, the final page of Chapter 22. “Lean and Mean: “Lean and mean is a formula developed in failing companies by the people responsible for the failure. “It is the opposite of any organizations’ natural goal: to be prosperous and caring “Whenever you hear the phrase ‘lean and mean’, replace it with what it really means: failing and frightened.”
July 17, 2025 at 1:55 PM
alttag.bsky.social
Like so many in this administration, Hegseth is completely immune to introspection and irony.
Screenshot from quote-skeeted article. “We don’t do politics. We do war fighting on the behalf of the American people to keep everybody safe,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Friday at a Turning Point USA event, a right-wing conference geared toward young Republicans.
July 16, 2025 at 9:35 PM
alttag.bsky.social
Calvinball.
July 16, 2025 at 1:13 PM
alttag.bsky.social
I reject your premise and counter that a puppy would indeed reduce your overall stress levels.
Thor, a gray Shitzu–toy poodle mix with dark eyes and dark ears (and adorable tan highlights) puts his front paws on a stool while pleading for food. You can’t deny him, he’s too adorable. Only a monster would say no to this face.
July 14, 2025 at 8:46 PM
alttag.bsky.social
Wow, that Wikipedia picture is … something.

I like this one better.

FamilySearch reports she’s my “7th cousin, 7 times removed” .. meaning we go back to the mid-1500s to find a common between her and me.

1780-1854 Gurney/Fry, Elizabeth www.familysearch.org/photos/artif...
Black and white portrait of an older, white English woman. High lace collar. She wears inner white robes beneath bulky dark robes, fully covering her seated figure. Her light hair peaks out in intentional curls from beneath a lace-trimmed hat or headdress.
July 8, 2025 at 3:35 PM
alttag.bsky.social
Bought a “Forged” brand dice bag online to get ready for GenCon. I was … unprepared for its size.

Now I’m worried it might be *too* big.
Brown leather dice bag with laced pull string. It has seven separate pockets inside (Unseen). In front, for scale, are 2d6, one reddish and one blueish. They’re mini dice from “Elderwood Academy” (a brand), so they make the already large bag look absolutely massive. Could probably stack 25 (or the mini dice) one atop the other and still not go from the wide bottom to the top of the bag.
July 8, 2025 at 2:52 AM