Brett Porter
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brettporter.bsky.social
Brett Porter
@brettporter.bsky.social
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Reposted by Brett Porter
newyorker.com
One analytical model shows that, as of November 5th, the dismantling of U.S.A.I.D. has already caused the deaths of 600,000 people, two-thirds of them children. https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/jUzNSc
The Shutdown of U.S.A.I.D. Has Already Killed Hundreds of Thousands
The short documentary “Rovina’s Choice” tells the story of what goes when aid goes.
newyorkermag.visitlink.me
November 6, 2025 at 9:00 PM
Reposted by Brett Porter
westonpace.bsky.social
A bittersweet story but glad to see a principled stance!
python.org Python Software Foundation @python.org · Oct 27
TLDR; The PSF has made the decision to put our community and our shared diversity, equity, and inclusion values ahead of seeking $1.5M in new revenue. Please read and share. pyfound.blogspot.com/2025/10/NSF-...
🧵
The official home of the Python Programming Language
www.python.org
October 27, 2025 at 7:11 PM
brettporter.bsky.social
Couldn’t agree more with this.

Some tremendous uses in accelerating low stakes work to focus on more important things, and providing a much better conversational interface to access systems and test your own thinking.

However…
anildash.com Anil Dash @anildash.com · Oct 17
Okay, for the folks who asked: here's the majority AI view, writing up the reasonable, thoughtful view on AI that the vast majority of people in tech hold, that gets overshadowed by the bluster and hype of the tycoons trying to shill their nonsense. anildash.com/2025/10/17/t... Please share!
The Majority AI View - Anil Dash
A blog about making culture. Since 1999.
anildash.com
October 19, 2025 at 3:09 AM
brettporter.bsky.social
“Making over-processed hotdogs” has got to be the most apt description of AI slop I’ve seen
theguardian.com The Guardian @theguardian.com · Oct 7
Robin Williams’ daughter Zelda hits out at AI-generated videos of her dead father: ‘Stop doing this to him’
Robin Williams’ daughter Zelda hits out at AI-generated videos of her dead father: ‘Stop doing this to him’
Film-maker tells the public to stop sending her videos, saying: ‘You’re not making art, you’re making disgusting, over-processed hotdogs out of the lives of human beings’ Zelda Williams, the daughter of the late actor and comedian Robin Williams, has spoken out against AI-generated content featuring her father. “Please, just stop sending me AI videos of Dad,” Zelda wrote in an Instagram story on Monday. “Stop believing I wanna see it or that I’ll understand, I don’t and I won’t. If you’re just trying to troll me, I’ve seen way worse, I’ll restrict and move on. But please, if you’ve got any decency, just stop doing this to him and to me, to everyone even, full stop. It’s dumb, it’s a waste of time and energy, and believe me, it’s NOT what he’d want. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
October 7, 2025 at 4:38 AM
Reposted by Brett Porter
joshuajfriedman.com
One of my favorite anecdotes from THE PREHISTORY OF THE FAR SIDE: "That doesn't sound like the Jane Goodall we know."
A few days after this cartoon was published, my syndicate received a very indignant letter from someone representing the Jane Goodall Institute. Not only did my syndicate and I both get read the Riot Act, there was a vague implication that litigation over this cartoon might be around the corner. I was horrified. Not so much from a fear of being sued (I just couldn't see how this cartoon could be construed as anything but silly, but because of my deep respect for Jane Goodall and her well-known contributions to pri-matology. The last thing in the world I would have intentionally done was offend Dr. Goodall in any way. Before I had a chance to write my apology, another complication arose. The National Geographic Society contacted my syndicate and expressed a desire to reprint the cartoon in a special centennial issue of their magazine. My editor, aware of what had just occurred, declined, explaining why. Apparently, whoever it was that sent the inquiry from National Geographic was shocked. They told my editor that "that doesn't sound like the Jane Goodall we know." They did some checking themselves, and an interesting fact was eventually discovered: Jane Goodall loved the cartoon. Furthermore, she was totally unaware that any of this "stuff" was going on. Some phone calls were made, and the cartoon was not only reprinted in the centennial issue of National Geographic, but was also used by her Institute on a T-shirt for fund-raising purposes. I've since had an opportunity to visit Dr. Goodall at her research facility in Gombe. It's a wonderful place (sort of like right out of National Geographic). "To refer to Dr. Goodall as a tramp is inexcusable even by a self-described 'loony' as Larson. The cartoon was incredibly offensive and in such poor taste that readers might well question the editorial judgment of running such an atrocity in a newspaper that reputes to be supplying news to persons with a better than average intelligence. The cartoon and its message were absolutely stupid." —Excerpt from the above-mentioned letter that started the ruckus
October 1, 2025 at 6:13 PM
brettporter.bsky.social
Google's AI seems to be in denial. Guess it wasn't willing to check for updates past its knowledge cutoff date for this one.
September 26, 2025 at 8:36 AM
Reposted by Brett Porter
erosalie.infoepi.com
Looked at my data collections for state-backed activity. If the report were a picture:
September 13, 2025 at 11:47 PM
Reposted by Brett Porter
apache.org
🚨 Breaking News from Community Over Code 🚨

Introducing The ASF’s New Logo buff.ly/DzgT82w

#CommunityOverCode #opensource
September 11, 2025 at 3:12 PM
Reposted by Brett Porter
anildash.com
I guess I actually was pretty mad about that stupid golden paperweight www.anildash.com/2025/09/09/h...
How Tim Cook sold out Steve Jobs - Anil Dash
A blog about making culture. Since 1999.
www.anildash.com
September 9, 2025 at 9:34 PM
Reposted by Brett Porter
johngoodman.bsky.social
realistic Star Trek
A comic on the bridge from Star Trek the Next Generation. Picard: COMMANDER DATA, PLEASE IDENTIFY THAT ROMULAN VESSEL. Data: THAT'S A GREAT IDEA CAPTAIN! IDENTIFYING A VESSEL IS A GREAT PLACE TO START - IN ANY TACTICAL OR STRATEGIC OUTER SPACE SITUATION. THIS VESSEL APPEARS TO BE A 23rd CENTURY KLINGON BIRD OF PREY! 🚀🦅✨ Picard: ARE YOU SURE? LIKE I SAID WE'RE... PRETTY SURE IT'S ROMULAN. Data: ... Data: OF COURSE! SO SORRY ABOUT THAT, YOU'RE RIGHT! ON CLOSER EXAMINATION IT'S A ROMULAN VESSEL! CAN I RECOMMEND SOME SOONG™ BRAND PRODUCTS THAT CAN HELP YOU WITH THAT? Picard cradles his face in his hand in a gesture of frustration. Data: DID I MENTION THE PLIGHT OF OPRESSED WHITES IN SOUTH AFRICA?
August 26, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Reposted by Brett Porter
chescaleigh.bsky.social
here’s a curse word free version of “look it up” as requested by countless teachers and librarians 🥰😘
April 7, 2025 at 8:35 PM
brettporter.bsky.social
Moved here some time ago but have just been reading, not posting. It’s good to get back to reading interesting content from people I follow directly.
May 27, 2025 at 12:47 PM