Misinformation-Superhighwayman
LightNews LightNews
banner
damienwise.aus.social.ap.brid.gy
Misinformation-Superhighwayman
@damienwise.aus.social.ap.brid.gy
10 followers 3 following 94 posts
Misinformation-Superhighwayman, Writer, Photographer, Maker, Arduino-wrangler, Synthesizer-dabbler, Cyberflâneur, Cyclist.
Pronouns: he/him/they.
Trans rights […]

[bridged from https://aus.social/@DamienWise on the fediverse by https://fed.brid.gy/ ]
Posts Replies Media Videos
damienwise.aus.social.ap.brid.gy
The day has only just begun, yet I already find myself brainwormed by Rob Zombie's "Dragula".
December 1, 2025 at 8:14 PM
damienwise.aus.social.ap.brid.gy
Happy Life Day to those who celebrate — particularly all you fans of the "Star Wars Holiday Special".

#starwars #starwarsholidayspecial #lifeday
An illustration of four Wookies, possibly a family. They're wearing bright red robes for a special occasion: Life Day. They're standing in a semicircle, and are holding a glowing, white ball. The background is a forest setting, depicted with vertical lines in various shades of green. The left side of the image is a black background with a white circle. Inside the circle is text; a combination of English , reading "Life Day", and glyphs I cannot decipher that are presumably a writing system of a Wookiee culture.
November 17, 2025 at 12:45 AM
damienwise.aus.social.ap.brid.gy
Looks like the weather just hit this neighbourhood. The Bureau of Meteorology is projecting wind gusts later this afternoon over 90 km/h.

#weathertoot #melbourne #melbourneweather #wimdy
Victorian Wind Speed (knots) and Direction chart by the Bureau of Meteorology, recorded 2:00 PM EADT. Red patches indicate wind of 40 knots or more along the southern coast of Victoria, Port Philip Bay, and Melbourne. Source: https://www.bom.gov.au/location/australia/victoria/central/bvic_pt042-melbourne 128 km Melbourne Doppler wind chart by the Bureau of Meteorology, recorded 2:04 PM EADT. Dark blue patches north-west of Melbourne (toward the doppler radar) and bright red patches south-east of Melbourne (away from the doppler radar) indicate an intense north-westerly wind of around 40 km/h with gusts of approximately 90 km/h. Source: https://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDR02I.shtml
October 22, 2025 at 3:22 AM
damienwise.aus.social.ap.brid.gy
*Resets the counter for "Days since a major incident was caused by DNS" to zero*
Screenshot of the article from the ABC that's linked to in the previous toot, cropped to show two paragraphs. The image has been annotated by circling some text in red: "an internal DNS issue" Illustration in the style of a Japanese watercolour painting of pink blossoms on a thin, dark brown branch. Text on the left side of the image is a haiku: It's not DNS There's no way it's DNS It was DNS
October 20, 2025 at 11:11 AM
damienwise.aus.social.ap.brid.gy
If you use Google Search, you may notice they've inserted a new "AI Mode" on the Search Results page. This fresh piece of enshittification consumes prime real estate in the UI: the first menu item. It's another example of a Big Tech company pushing AI hype and […]

[Original post on aus.social]
Screenshot of the Google Search results page. The image is cropped to draw your attention to the header. In the top left is the wordmark logo for Google. To the right of the logo is the field for the search term. The next row down is a series of menu items that filter the type of search. The image is annotated with the addition of a bright red oval to highlight the first item in the menu, "AI Mode". This new malfeature appeared today or very recently, and it's been crammed into the UI in the first place in the menu. I think this a Deceptive Design Pattern: it's likely you'll click on it by accident because you're accustomed to using the first item in that menu due to years of experience training your "muscle memory". Previously, this menu had options for "All", "Images", "Shopping", "News", and so on, with a drop-down menu on the right side called "More" that contains additional options that are used less frequently.
October 14, 2025 at 12:45 AM
damienwise.aus.social.ap.brid.gy
[CW: sex, robots, side-boob, The Sun, Twitter]

It's ten years to the day since The Sun published this article that exemplifies their standard of journalistic integrity:
"We'll Be Having Sex With Robots in the Next 10 Years".

How time flies! Back then, we relied […]

[Original post on aus.social]
Screenshot from Twitter of a post by TheSun. The text reads: "We'll be having sex with robots in the next 10 years" Next is a link to a webpage at thesun.uk but the article no longer exists. Under that is a photoshopped image of a woman and a robot embracing in bed.
October 1, 2025 at 3:21 AM
damienwise.aus.social.ap.brid.gy
A very merry Hobbit Day to all who celebrate, and happy birthday to Bilbo and Frodo Baggins!

#hobbitday #lordoftherings #thehobbit
September 21, 2025 at 9:09 PM
damienwise.aus.social.ap.brid.gy
Usually, I am loath to quote News Corp articles because I loathe their bias, but I'm sharing this screenshot for the fabulous typo.

#newscorpse #Thisisnotjournalism
Screenshot of an article in news.com.au. The headline has an amusingly bad typo: "Geelong suburbs homeowners are loathed to leave"
September 21, 2025 at 6:34 AM
damienwise.aus.social.ap.brid.gy
An example of enshittification and how badly Google has broken its core reason for existence, search: Google is using an LLM to "hallucinate" postcodes.

I dunno about other countries, but in Australia, if you get someone's postcode correct and a detail as simple […]

[Original post on aus.social]
Screenshot of a Google Search results page. The search term is "Frankston North postcode". Located above the search results so as to appear to be the most highly ranked search result is the "AI Overview". It says: "The postcode for Frankston North, Victoria, is 3199. You can verify this information on Australia Post's postcode checker." This is an act of Deceptive Design by Google. On the right side of the "AI Overview" is a rectangle highlighted blue that says "3199 Postcode - Australia Post", and has the Australia Post logo, and a link to the Australia Post website with information about postcode 3199. This is also Deceptive Design: it gives the impression of verifying the LLM-generated fiction in the AI Summary, and it adds the weight of authority of Australia Post by appropriating their logo. Underneath the "AI Overview" there's usually a "Show more" button, and in the screenshot we can see that this button has been clicked to reveal a line of small, grey text. It reads: "AI responses may include mistakes." Underneath the "AI Overview" is the genuine list of ranked search results. The top position in the search results is a link and summary of an Australia Post webpage. It states: "Your search for "Frankston North" returned 1 result(s). Please select an item from the list below to view details. Postcode, Suburb, Category. 3200" The correct answer is indeed "3200". Google's "AI Overview" is presenting fiction as fact.
September 15, 2025 at 6:47 AM
damienwise.aus.social.ap.brid.gy
Today, I noticed a sign we've reached a point of inflection in the AI Hype Cycle.

It goes something like this:

(1) Tech companies have been shoving "AI" into everything. Even if new features are the result of improved algorithms or automation, it's often […]

[Original post on aus.social]
Screenshot of a post on Twitter posted on 21st of August 2025. It's post by TeamYouTube (@TeamYouTube@twitter), which includes a quote of a post by YouTube Liaison (@YouTubeInsider@twitter). Source: https://x.com/TeamYouTube/status/1958286550229541158 Text of the post: TeamYouTube @TeamYouTube We hear you, and want to clear things up! This is from an experiment to improve video quality with traditional machine learning – not GenAI. More info from @YouTubeInsider here: YouTube Liaison @YouTubeInsider No GenAI, no upscaling. We're running an experiment on select YouTube Shorts that uses traditional machine learning technology to unblur, denoise, and improve clarity in videos during processing (similar to what a modern smartphone does when you record a video)
August 25, 2025 at 8:50 AM
damienwise.aus.social.ap.brid.gy
Campbell Arcade has reopened after being closed for years of construction work for Melbourne Metro. It's a simple, utilitarian public thoroughfare, but I can't believe how much I've missed the beautiful Art Deco style of the place.

#melbournemetro #melbourne #campbellarcade
Campbell Arcade subway facing toward the exit to Degraves Street, Melbourne. Although it was built in 1955, it has a strong Art Deco aesthetic — square, salmon pink tiles on the walls, and the floor and columns are black. Campbell Arcade subway facing toward Flinders Street from near the Degraves Street entrance. Although it was built in 1955, it has a strong Art Deco aesthetic — square, salmon pink tiles on the walls, and the floor and columns are black.
August 14, 2025 at 8:52 AM
damienwise.aus.social.ap.brid.gy
Happy accident: I bought the wrong potatoes at the supermarket — Kipfler potatoes — so good!

#potatoes #kipflerpotatoes #tatersgonnatate
July 25, 2025 at 9:18 AM
damienwise.aus.social.ap.brid.gy
[Mention of Elon Musk]

Mastodon has few scam accounts, but when it does, they're hilarious.

#elonmusk #mastodon
Screenshot of the form on Mastodon for reporting a user account to moderators. My comment: This account appears to be impersonating Elon Musk. Or, even worse, they may be Elon Musk. Either way, they're posting replies that look like a scam.
June 16, 2025 at 9:43 PM
damienwise.aus.social.ap.brid.gy
This comment is one of the best forum posts I've ever seen, and it's criminal that it received only three upvotes.
Screenshot of a comment on Reddit: "And you guys TOTALLY veered off topic and forgot what the original question was…… please answer his question or exchange phone numbers so you two can answer talk about whatever you want all day"
May 19, 2025 at 5:44 AM
damienwise.aus.social.ap.brid.gy
May the 5th Element be with you.
May 5, 2025 at 1:47 AM
damienwise.aus.social.ap.brid.gy
Cyber Security around the world may be about to go to hell in a handbasket because CVE is being forced to shutdown.

The CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) system publishes emerging news and up-to-date information about online security vulnerabilities […]

[Original post on aus.social]
MITRE | SOLVING PROBLEMS FOR A SAFER WORLD" April 15, 2025 Dear CVE Board Member, We want to make you aware of an important potential issue with MITRE’s enduring support to CVE. On Wednesday, April 16, 2025, the current contracting pathway for MITRE to develop, operate, and modernize CVE and several other related programs, such as CWE, will expire. The government continues to make considerable efforts to continue MITRE’s role in support of the program. If a break in service were to occur, we anticipate multiple impacts to CVE, including deterioration of national vulnerability databases and advisories, tool vendors, incident response operations, and all manner of critical infrastructure. MITRE continues to be committed to CVE as a global resource. We thank you as a member of the CVE Board for your continued partnership. Sincerely, Yosry Barsoum VP and Director Center for Securing the Homeland (CSH) 7515 Colshire Drive - McLean, VA 22102-7539 - (703) 983-6000
April 16, 2025 at 2:04 AM
damienwise.aus.social.ap.brid.gy
Phil Tippett ("You had one job!") being interviewed about major influences, such as learning from Ray Harryhausen, that shaped his career of stop-motion animation for feature films:

'I took LSD when I was working on "Return of the Jedi". I could communicate with […]

[Original post on aus.social]
Phil Tippett, making tiny, painstaking adjustments to a stop-motion animation puppet for a popular feature film. He's wearing a white shirt with the sleeves rolled-up, and staring intensely in concentration at the head of the puppet. In the foreground is a machinist's Surface Gauge with the tip pointing to the forehead of the puppet to assist with precisely determining movements between frames of animation.
April 15, 2025 at 8:11 AM
damienwise.aus.social.ap.brid.gy
Blackmagic Design just released a fantastic new camera, plus a bunch of other new products, and an update to DaVinci Resolve 20 (free update because it's a lifetime licence, not a subscription rip-off).

Customers started placing orders, and units would have […]

[Original post on aus.social]
Screenshot of a statement from Blackmagic Design. At the top is the company's logo and name. The text says: We wanted to post a quick note on USA prices and the new government tariff changes. Most products in the USA have increased and please check our web site for details. DaVinci Resolve and Blackmagic Cloud prices remain the same. It’s also worth noting that price increases only affect the US and prices in other countries are currently unchanged.
April 6, 2025 at 11:57 PM
damienwise.aus.social.ap.brid.gy
No, Chrome, I like those extensions because they unfuck my User Experience. Rather than unilaterally switching-off extensions such as ad-blockers, how about Google makes Chrome better, and stops being so aggressively awful to plugin developers and billions of […]

[Original post on aus.social]
Screenshot from my computer from chrome://extensions/ Heading at the top of the box: "Updates" Message in the box: "These extensions were turned off because they're no longer supported. Chrome recommends that you remove them. Learn more about supported extensions." More context not shown in this screenshot: Under the message inside the box is a list of web browser plugins that I consider essential, but Chrome switched-off all those extensions without asking me.
March 4, 2025 at 2:05 AM
damienwise.aus.social.ap.brid.gy
Serious weather in Melbourne tonight.

#melbourne #melbourneweather #weathertoot
Screenshot from the music video of AC/DC "Thunderstruck". Angus Young, the guitarist, is playing the song's iconic leitmotif and making a dramatic hand gesture.
February 2, 2025 at 11:56 AM
damienwise.aus.social.ap.brid.gy
Nope, I didn't make a mistake. I'm deleting my Instagram account because Meta made a serious mistake.

#meta #instagram #deleteyouraccount
Screenshot of email from Meta. At the top is the Instagram logo that features an icon and cursive text that reads "Instagram". In the middle, the body of the email reads: Hi [username redacted], We're sorry to see that you've requested to delete your account. If you change your mind, you have until February 08, 2025 to let us know. Otherwise, all of your posts and information will be deleted. If this was a mistake or you want to keep your account after all, please let us know. At the end is a blue button that reads: "Keep Account".
January 9, 2025 at 2:57 AM
damienwise.aus.social.ap.brid.gy
Recently, there's been an increase in people talking about not seeing Facebook posts from friends, or folks noticing their own posts have been memory-holed by Zuckerberg's algorithmic shenanigans. I can verify some friends have made posts recently by looking at […]

[Original post on aus.social]
Screenshot of an error message on my Facebook feed. At the top is a green tick in a circle as though it's trying to indicate something positive. In the middle it says: You're all caught up on Most Recent posts. At the bottom it says: Check back later for more updates.
December 31, 2024 at 6:11 AM
damienwise.aus.social.ap.brid.gy
Hope comes in many forms, but never before have I seen it slither.

This headline from news.com.au is on a par with the Grauniad. 🤣
Screenshot of a preview for an article on news.com.au. The headline reads: "Slither of hope for home buyers"
December 29, 2024 at 7:14 AM
damienwise.aus.social.ap.brid.gy
Received this email this morning.
I didn't ask for it, and I don't want it, yet there it is.

Feedback I hear from people who've tried it tends to fall into these groups:
- "Wow, it's fantastic and speeds-up things so much for me!"
- "I am experienced enough to […]

[Original post on aus.social]
Screenshot from email. At the top it says "GitHub". In the middle is a blue rectangle with a logo and title. The logo is a stylised face wearing a flight hat and goggles pushed up to sit on the pilot's forehead. The title reads "GitHub Copilot". At the bottom, text in the email reads: Access to GitHub Copilot is now included with your GitHub account Your GitHub account now includes free use of GitHub Copilot in VS Code and on GitHub, powered by your choice of AI models from OpenAI and Anthropic. This is now part of your personal GitHub account, and accessible via VS Code and on GitHub. Under that is a green button with white text that reads: "Start using Copilot".
December 19, 2024 at 1:48 AM
damienwise.aus.social.ap.brid.gy
Recently, an Audio professional I have high regard for made an "open letter" style of criticism of practically all audio equipment manufacturers.

Summary: devices that contain rechargeable batteries should be repairable, and it should be possible to replace […]

[Original post on aus.social]
Screenshot of a comment written by Peter Freedman, founder and chairman of RØDE: Our team is made up of over 800 passionate and proud audio and now video enthusiast who are just like you and your supporters. We all care greatly about what we design and manufacture and want everyone who invests in us to be completely satisfied. I will make sure we provide a clear written policy that alerts all customers to the fact that we will support anyone who has bought our wireless units and can promise we will provide them with a clear path for replacement of batteries should they fail. I will also implement a design change to allow customers to replace batteries themselves on all future designs. As you know we created the miniature 2.4 Ghz transmitter with inbuilt microphone category, and have now sold well over 3 million units. Since the initial launch we have had a relatively small percentage(fraction of 1%)fail over that time, and have made sure everyone who contacted us where fully supported. When I started RØDE in 1989 I wanted to make sure that everything we made should last a life time, and our guarantee policy has and will continue to be very flexible even if a product is many years old. while there will always be the odd case where a customers needs are not met as I would like it, if I am given the opportunity to resolve that, I will. Logo of RØDE Microphones. The name is printed in black all-caps. The 'O' is replaced with a 'Ø' character in homage to the Scandinavian heritage of the founder's family. Under the text in the logo is a light brown circle.
December 16, 2024 at 1:56 AM