Ed Pichon
@edpichon.bsky.social
Tech geek, standards engineering consultant, dad, lapsed physicist, hubby to a real engineer, cat attendant.
I’d pay good money (or at least scrolling time) to get @charlescmann.bsky.social ‘s take on the Avatar movies, and how it relates to colonial history. It seems to me that Cameron read 1491 and 1493 and is writing a fictional “undo” wish for justice.
I’d pay more, mind you, for 1490 and 1494. Ahem.
I’d pay more, mind you, for 1490 and 1494. Ahem.
December 24, 2025 at 8:12 PM
I’d pay good money (or at least scrolling time) to get @charlescmann.bsky.social ‘s take on the Avatar movies, and how it relates to colonial history. It seems to me that Cameron read 1491 and 1493 and is writing a fictional “undo” wish for justice.
I’d pay more, mind you, for 1490 and 1494. Ahem.
I’d pay more, mind you, for 1490 and 1494. Ahem.
That’s a frigate, at best. Somebody is either a complete fool… or taking the piss.
December 23, 2025 at 4:38 AM
That’s a frigate, at best. Somebody is either a complete fool… or taking the piss.
I suspect that the managerial/executive classes like and use AI because it functions like they do - consume a bunch of info with minimal understanding, and then making a decision based off that. AI just replaces “minimal” with “none”.
Which is why they flog AI - if it’s useless, so are they.
Which is why they flog AI - if it’s useless, so are they.
December 19, 2025 at 8:40 PM
I suspect that the managerial/executive classes like and use AI because it functions like they do - consume a bunch of info with minimal understanding, and then making a decision based off that. AI just replaces “minimal” with “none”.
Which is why they flog AI - if it’s useless, so are they.
Which is why they flog AI - if it’s useless, so are they.
Preach!
It’s really demoralizing how many colleagues are using AI.
Your job is literally to use your brain- your extremely unique, highly trained brain 😭
Your job is literally to use your brain- your extremely unique, highly trained brain 😭
December 11, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Preach!
Grrr.
For those that don't deal with telecom much - this is a kill shot. Revoking their licenses, NPR and PBS stations will not longer be able to broadcast at all. The cost of acquiring new licenses will be enormous, and the auctions can take a while to organize.
arstechnica.com/tech-policy/...
For those that don't deal with telecom much - this is a kill shot. Revoking their licenses, NPR and PBS stations will not longer be able to broadcast at all. The cost of acquiring new licenses will be enormous, and the auctions can take a while to organize.
arstechnica.com/tech-policy/...
After NPR and PBS defunding, FCC receives call to take away station licenses
NPR and PBS stations targeted by group involved in Carr’s news-distortion probes.
arstechnica.com
December 11, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Grrr.
For those that don't deal with telecom much - this is a kill shot. Revoking their licenses, NPR and PBS stations will not longer be able to broadcast at all. The cost of acquiring new licenses will be enormous, and the auctions can take a while to organize.
arstechnica.com/tech-policy/...
For those that don't deal with telecom much - this is a kill shot. Revoking their licenses, NPR and PBS stations will not longer be able to broadcast at all. The cost of acquiring new licenses will be enormous, and the auctions can take a while to organize.
arstechnica.com/tech-policy/...
Reposted by Ed Pichon
imagine a national right-coded moral panic because you turned out by surprise to have not a daughter but a son, an outcome so consonant with reactionary desire that if it happened to any medieval king the anchorite who could claim credit would be today a rather prominent saint.
December 11, 2025 at 12:02 AM
imagine a national right-coded moral panic because you turned out by surprise to have not a daughter but a son, an outcome so consonant with reactionary desire that if it happened to any medieval king the anchorite who could claim credit would be today a rather prominent saint.
I had thought for many years that it might be funny to start up a cryptocurrency named “TulipCoin”, to see if anyone would get the joke. Now I’m thinking “TulipAI” or “TulAIp” may be more appropriate.
December 11, 2025 at 3:24 AM
I had thought for many years that it might be funny to start up a cryptocurrency named “TulipCoin”, to see if anyone would get the joke. Now I’m thinking “TulipAI” or “TulAIp” may be more appropriate.
Reposted by Ed Pichon
AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
December 10, 2025 at 9:16 PM
AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Say what you will, they are going for the trifecta - piracy, war crimes, and violating the constitution. With a little work, they might be able to do it one day!
I _really_ hope there is a good reason for the seizure. Because, if not....
I _really_ hope there is a good reason for the seizure. Because, if not....
December 10, 2025 at 9:38 PM
Say what you will, they are going for the trifecta - piracy, war crimes, and violating the constitution. With a little work, they might be able to do it one day!
I _really_ hope there is a good reason for the seizure. Because, if not....
I _really_ hope there is a good reason for the seizure. Because, if not....
A theory - calibri is “woke” because its transgender - serifs are clearly testicles, so by removing the serifs we have changed the gender of the font. Hence DEI. Hence we are restoring the proper male gender of typography.
Great googly moogly. The stupid. It hurts.
Great googly moogly. The stupid. It hurts.
December 10, 2025 at 6:22 PM
A theory - calibri is “woke” because its transgender - serifs are clearly testicles, so by removing the serifs we have changed the gender of the font. Hence DEI. Hence we are restoring the proper male gender of typography.
Great googly moogly. The stupid. It hurts.
Great googly moogly. The stupid. It hurts.
The tree is up. Hodie has been listened to (and sung along with). Other Christmas decorations can wait.
December 7, 2025 at 3:52 AM
The tree is up. Hodie has been listened to (and sung along with). Other Christmas decorations can wait.
Reposted by Ed Pichon
You've heard of elf on a shelf. Now get ready for...
🔭🐡🧪
🔭🐡🧪
December 6, 2025 at 12:03 AM
You've heard of elf on a shelf. Now get ready for...
🔭🐡🧪
🔭🐡🧪
I’m not a space expert by any means, but when I first heard this proposed it seemed so profoundly stupid that I thought I was missing something basic. Good to have an expert weigh in - space-based data centers are indeed profoundly stupid.
an important read for at least 2 reasons:
1. shows how big tech operates on intuitions and vibes and not rigorous research
2. this is a masterpiece in how to breakdown complex scientific concepts in simple language and elegant pros that captivate the lay reader
taranis.ie/datacenters-...
1. shows how big tech operates on intuitions and vibes and not rigorous research
2. this is a masterpiece in how to breakdown complex scientific concepts in simple language and elegant pros that captivate the lay reader
taranis.ie/datacenters-...
Datacenters in space are a terrible, horrible, no good idea.
There is a rush for AI companies to team up with space launch/satellite companies to build datacenters in space. TL;DR: It's not going to work.
taranis.ie
December 5, 2025 at 6:09 PM
I’m not a space expert by any means, but when I first heard this proposed it seemed so profoundly stupid that I thought I was missing something basic. Good to have an expert weigh in - space-based data centers are indeed profoundly stupid.
The thing that blows my mind is something I recently learned only recently - Rwanda, at the time, was the most Christian country in Africa. The role of the churches (Protestant, Catholic, Evangelical) driving and motivating the slaughter was significant. And studiously ignored.
I wish more people understood the Rwandan genocide and its causes and consequences, it’s such a clear demonstration of this dynamic
The two things aren't contradictory at all, refugees have been colonizers in various situations. I think people have twisted themselves into knots in both directions on this point so as to not acknowledge that there's basically no tension here.
December 5, 2025 at 1:39 PM
The thing that blows my mind is something I recently learned only recently - Rwanda, at the time, was the most Christian country in Africa. The role of the churches (Protestant, Catholic, Evangelical) driving and motivating the slaughter was significant. And studiously ignored.
I have the great pleasure of calling a Somali immigrant my friend and colleague. He chose to become an American citizen, and worked hard to become one. Notably, he doesn’t constantly complain about his fellow citizens and how terrible it is. Unlike some I could name.
December 2, 2025 at 11:28 PM
I have the great pleasure of calling a Somali immigrant my friend and colleague. He chose to become an American citizen, and worked hard to become one. Notably, he doesn’t constantly complain about his fellow citizens and how terrible it is. Unlike some I could name.
Guys! Guys! I’m so excited! Arianna Huffington wants to provide my company with IT security services! I’m so excited!
Spam bots are getting creative with the names, I must say.
Spam bots are getting creative with the names, I must say.
December 1, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Guys! Guys! I’m so excited! Arianna Huffington wants to provide my company with IT security services! I’m so excited!
Spam bots are getting creative with the names, I must say.
Spam bots are getting creative with the names, I must say.
I suspect that a lot of the underlying hype around AI - beyond the fraud, lying, and financial skulduggery - is a desperate desire for it to be true. Creating an AGI, crafting a sentient machine, would be an astounding achievement. And revolutionary at multiple levels. But this ain’t it.
December 1, 2025 at 2:17 PM
I suspect that a lot of the underlying hype around AI - beyond the fraud, lying, and financial skulduggery - is a desperate desire for it to be true. Creating an AGI, crafting a sentient machine, would be an astounding achievement. And revolutionary at multiple levels. But this ain’t it.
This is soooooo on the money.
LLMs are naturally convincing to CEOs because the only skill CEOs need is the one thing LLMs are actually good at: talking confident bullshit.
November 30, 2025 at 3:18 PM
This is soooooo on the money.
I gotta say, the writers of this season really nailed it with the names. 5 stars. No notes.
If only it were fiction, it wouldn’t be so horrifying.
If only it were fiction, it wouldn’t be so horrifying.
Gavin and Tanner, planned and trained for nearly a year, legal documents say, in an elaborate attempt to invade a Haitian island, kill its Black men, enslave its Black women and Black children and fulfill their "rape fantasies."
www.fox4news.com/news/haitian...
www.fox4news.com/news/haitian...
NTX men planned to murder men, enslave women on foreign island: Indictment
Two North Texas men have been indicted for an alleged scheme to sail to a foreign island, murder all the men, and enslave the women and children.
www.fox4news.com
November 21, 2025 at 9:23 PM
I gotta say, the writers of this season really nailed it with the names. 5 stars. No notes.
If only it were fiction, it wouldn’t be so horrifying.
If only it were fiction, it wouldn’t be so horrifying.
It is really unconscionable the violent rhetoric that the democrats are resorting to. Quoting what the president said is simply an unacceptable act. Almost as bad as quoting what Kirk said.
Sigh. I wish this was satire.
Sigh. I wish this was satire.
November 21, 2025 at 12:28 AM
It is really unconscionable the violent rhetoric that the democrats are resorting to. Quoting what the president said is simply an unacceptable act. Almost as bad as quoting what Kirk said.
Sigh. I wish this was satire.
Sigh. I wish this was satire.
This is…distressingly accurate. As was the original.
Extremely upset that a throw-away XKCD joke somehow became the organizing principle for the Internet.
November 20, 2025 at 4:03 AM
This is…distressingly accurate. As was the original.
Apparently it wasn’t Twain who said “It is easier to fool a man, than to convince him he has been fooled.” But this is another fine example. Easier to blame your idiot, evil employees that are robbing you are to blame…than admit you’ve been conned.
AI cannot fail, it can only be sabotaged. You must stay ever-vigilant against Trotskyist wreckers.
November 13, 2025 at 2:37 AM
Apparently it wasn’t Twain who said “It is easier to fool a man, than to convince him he has been fooled.” But this is another fine example. Easier to blame your idiot, evil employees that are robbing you are to blame…than admit you’ve been conned.
Proposition - pandemics create a surge of xenophobia in affected societies. It takes a few years to percolate through the political system, but it seems to be a pretty consistent response.
Surely there’s a paper on this…ah: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...
Surely there’s a paper on this…ah: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...
Impact of infectious disease epidemics on xenophobia: A systematic review
Xenophobia has a significant impact on the health of international migrants. During an infectious disease outbreak, stigma and prejudice are highly pronounced. Migrants, often seen as disease carriers, are socially rejected during epidemics. Ensure ...
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
November 3, 2025 at 2:07 PM
Proposition - pandemics create a surge of xenophobia in affected societies. It takes a few years to percolate through the political system, but it seems to be a pretty consistent response.
Surely there’s a paper on this…ah: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...
Surely there’s a paper on this…ah: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...