Eric Albert
@ejalbert.bsky.social
Reposted by Eric Albert
early discworld is not as polished as later discworld but I'm going to go out on a limb and say that it's still pretty good
December 28, 2025 at 10:53 PM
early discworld is not as polished as later discworld but I'm going to go out on a limb and say that it's still pretty good
Reposted by Eric Albert
Wow, what an astonishing, well lived, life.
The obituary is well worth the read, just for the description of what he got up to after retiring.
The obituary is well worth the read, just for the description of what he got up to after retiring.
“Mr. Meyer and Glass got the idea for Mouse Trap from a labyrinthine Rube Goldberg cartoon called ‘How to Remove the Cotton Out of a Bottle of Aspirin,’ according to the book ‘It’s All a Game: A Short History of Board Games.’”
Also was an #illinoistech alum!
chicago.suntimes.com/obituaries/2...
Also was an #illinoistech alum!
chicago.suntimes.com/obituaries/2...
Burt Meyer, Chicago toymaker behind classics like Lite-Brite, Rock ’Em Sock ’Em Robots, has died at 99
Mainly working for Marvin Glass & Associates, he contributed to Chicago becoming a vibrant center of toy design. In an age before video games, he also helped bring the world Mouse Trap.
chicago.suntimes.com
December 27, 2025 at 7:35 PM
Wow, what an astonishing, well lived, life.
The obituary is well worth the read, just for the description of what he got up to after retiring.
The obituary is well worth the read, just for the description of what he got up to after retiring.
Reposted by Eric Albert
It’s the “season of love and giving”…but this year, doesn’t it seem more like a “season of fear and taking”? Like many of you, I’ve been saddened by the human impact of draconian government budget cuts and how angry many housed Americans are at unhoused Americans.
🧵 1 of 9
🧵 1 of 9
December 21, 2025 at 2:51 AM
It’s the “season of love and giving”…but this year, doesn’t it seem more like a “season of fear and taking”? Like many of you, I’ve been saddened by the human impact of draconian government budget cuts and how angry many housed Americans are at unhoused Americans.
🧵 1 of 9
🧵 1 of 9
Reposted by Eric Albert
hey if you're wondering "has a baseball website covered whatever the fuck Miller is talking about, for some reason and done it more accurately than he is?" the answer is absolutely, yes:
www.baseballprospectus.com/news/article...
www.baseballprospectus.com/news/article...
December 17, 2025 at 8:06 PM
hey if you're wondering "has a baseball website covered whatever the fuck Miller is talking about, for some reason and done it more accurately than he is?" the answer is absolutely, yes:
www.baseballprospectus.com/news/article...
www.baseballprospectus.com/news/article...
Reposted by Eric Albert
You'd think things that have recurred throughout history would eventually stop feeling like this much of a gut punch and yet they do not
December 14, 2025 at 2:52 PM
You'd think things that have recurred throughout history would eventually stop feeling like this much of a gut punch and yet they do not
Reposted by Eric Albert
my most middle agèd crank opinion is that the NYT crossword has gotten too easy and not enough people are talking about it
December 13, 2025 at 3:52 PM
my most middle agèd crank opinion is that the NYT crossword has gotten too easy and not enough people are talking about it
Reposted by Eric Albert
The Hebrew calendar’s days start at sundown instead of, say, midnight or sun-up. The explanation everyone gives is that the Torah says something about evening coming before morning. But is that where the practice started? Is there historical evidence of different ways of marking the day change?
December 14, 2025 at 12:20 AM
The Hebrew calendar’s days start at sundown instead of, say, midnight or sun-up. The explanation everyone gives is that the Torah says something about evening coming before morning. But is that where the practice started? Is there historical evidence of different ways of marking the day change?
Reposted by Eric Albert
Henry Ford HATED Jazz because too many Jewish & Black Folks were a part of it. He pushed the Department of Education to make square dance part of the curriculum to counter Jazz.
December 13, 2025 at 12:33 AM
Henry Ford HATED Jazz because too many Jewish & Black Folks were a part of it. He pushed the Department of Education to make square dance part of the curriculum to counter Jazz.
Reposted by Eric Albert
IRW — a Pulitzer-winning nonprofit newsroom at American — and @thebarbedwire.com traced the history of anti-trans legislation. Houston conservatives realized homophobia didn’t fly anymore, weaponized girls’ safety, and parroted segregationist language. It worked.
thebarbedwire.com/2025/12/04/a...
thebarbedwire.com/2025/12/04/a...
Where Did Anti-Trans Laws Start? How a Forgotten Houston Ordinance Turned Into a Massive, Nationwide Culture War
In fighting for bathroom bills in Houston, Texas conservatives provided a blueprint for the rest of the country.
thebarbedwire.com
December 5, 2025 at 2:47 PM
IRW — a Pulitzer-winning nonprofit newsroom at American — and @thebarbedwire.com traced the history of anti-trans legislation. Houston conservatives realized homophobia didn’t fly anymore, weaponized girls’ safety, and parroted segregationist language. It worked.
thebarbedwire.com/2025/12/04/a...
thebarbedwire.com/2025/12/04/a...
Reposted by Eric Albert
Admiral Rachel Levine was the first transgender person to be confirmed by the Senate to serve in the federal government. Her official portrait at HHS headquarters has been altered. n.pr/48HypvT
HHS changed the name of transgender health leader on her official portrait
Admiral Rachel Levine was the first transgender person to be confirmed by the Senate to serve in the federal government. Her official portrait at HHS headquarters has been altered.
n.pr
December 5, 2025 at 10:50 PM
Admiral Rachel Levine was the first transgender person to be confirmed by the Senate to serve in the federal government. Her official portrait at HHS headquarters has been altered. n.pr/48HypvT
Reposted by Eric Albert
Developer attempts to replicate "Liquid Glass" in CSS, and once finished realizes what she'd actually created is an exploit for a fundamental, previously unknown, and rather serious browser vulnerability
lyra.horse/blog/2025/12...
"CSS hack accidentally becomes regular hack"
lyra.horse/blog/2025/12...
"CSS hack accidentally becomes regular hack"
SVG Filters - Clickjacking 2.0
A novel and powerful twist on an old classic.
lyra.horse
December 5, 2025 at 2:03 AM
Developer attempts to replicate "Liquid Glass" in CSS, and once finished realizes what she'd actually created is an exploit for a fundamental, previously unknown, and rather serious browser vulnerability
lyra.horse/blog/2025/12...
"CSS hack accidentally becomes regular hack"
lyra.horse/blog/2025/12...
"CSS hack accidentally becomes regular hack"
Reposted by Eric Albert
Way to stand up to... *checks notes* 61-year-old recreational players. Good work, USTA. 🙃
December 4, 2025 at 12:46 AM
Way to stand up to... *checks notes* 61-year-old recreational players. Good work, USTA. 🙃
Reposted by Eric Albert
It's with heavy hearts that we share that Claude, our beloved albino alligator, has passed away at the age of 30. Claude brought joy to millions of people at the Academy and across the world during his 17 year tenure. We will miss him dearly. 🤍
December 2, 2025 at 10:22 PM
It's with heavy hearts that we share that Claude, our beloved albino alligator, has passed away at the age of 30. Claude brought joy to millions of people at the Academy and across the world during his 17 year tenure. We will miss him dearly. 🤍
Reposted by Eric Albert
Mind-blowingly cool use of AI
“Altogether, these findings are leading us to an extraordinary conclusion: Whales may possess a communication system more intricate than our own, one that possibly predates human language by tens of millions of years.”
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/23/o...
“Altogether, these findings are leading us to an extraordinary conclusion: Whales may possess a communication system more intricate than our own, one that possibly predates human language by tens of millions of years.”
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/23/o...
Opinion | I’m a Marine Biologist. This Is How I Talk to Whales.
www.nytimes.com
November 30, 2025 at 8:58 PM
Mind-blowingly cool use of AI
“Altogether, these findings are leading us to an extraordinary conclusion: Whales may possess a communication system more intricate than our own, one that possibly predates human language by tens of millions of years.”
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/23/o...
“Altogether, these findings are leading us to an extraordinary conclusion: Whales may possess a communication system more intricate than our own, one that possibly predates human language by tens of millions of years.”
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/23/o...
Reposted by Eric Albert
On December 4, 2007, in the Usenet group “Friends of the Friendless,” someone wrote:
“Happy Friendsgiving Y’all!”
And that is the first recorded use of ‘Friendsgiving’ in print.
“Happy Friendsgiving Y’all!”
And that is the first recorded use of ‘Friendsgiving’ in print.
November 25, 2025 at 7:36 PM
On December 4, 2007, in the Usenet group “Friends of the Friendless,” someone wrote:
“Happy Friendsgiving Y’all!”
And that is the first recorded use of ‘Friendsgiving’ in print.
“Happy Friendsgiving Y’all!”
And that is the first recorded use of ‘Friendsgiving’ in print.
Reposted by Eric Albert
In other news, I recommend today's Daily Podcast, about the parents of a trans girl who just had to flee Tennessee for Connecticut in order to protect her. The parents are both Southerners and ministers, and had idea what "trans" was until they had to learn.
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/p...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/p...
Parenting a Trans Kid in Trump’s America
Podcast Episode · The Daily · 11/21/2025 · 44m
podcasts.apple.com
November 21, 2025 at 11:39 PM
In other news, I recommend today's Daily Podcast, about the parents of a trans girl who just had to flee Tennessee for Connecticut in order to protect her. The parents are both Southerners and ministers, and had idea what "trans" was until they had to learn.
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/p...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/p...
Reposted by Eric Albert
1) @washingtonpost.com reported Thursday on a controversial policy downgrading how nooses and swastikas are labeled in the Coast Guard.
2) Admin officials attacked The Post, falsely alleging the reporting of "fake crap."
3) The CG said it would review policy language.
4) The CG reversed course.
2) Admin officials attacked The Post, falsely alleging the reporting of "fake crap."
3) The CG said it would review policy language.
4) The CG reversed course.
November 21, 2025 at 1:30 PM
1) @washingtonpost.com reported Thursday on a controversial policy downgrading how nooses and swastikas are labeled in the Coast Guard.
2) Admin officials attacked The Post, falsely alleging the reporting of "fake crap."
3) The CG said it would review policy language.
4) The CG reversed course.
2) Admin officials attacked The Post, falsely alleging the reporting of "fake crap."
3) The CG said it would review policy language.
4) The CG reversed course.
Reposted by Eric Albert
In honor of Larry Summers, I asked the female members of my college class (1987) to say if they had any experiences with sexual harassment by teachers/professors, back when this was tolerated as, I dunno, the cost of attending college, and OH MY GOD.
November 21, 2025 at 12:13 AM
In honor of Larry Summers, I asked the female members of my college class (1987) to say if they had any experiences with sexual harassment by teachers/professors, back when this was tolerated as, I dunno, the cost of attending college, and OH MY GOD.
Reposted by Eric Albert
Today, @hbomax.bsky.social airs their new doc "Thoughts & Prayers" on the $3 billion (!) shooting-preparedness industry and the sobering reality of how the U.S. has failed its children. @laureneahmed.bsky.social & @kristenmulrooney.bsky.social review the film here: www.the-pom.com/p/review-hbo...
Review: HBO's "Thoughts and Prayers"
The HBO original documentary examines the $3 billion active shooter preparedness industry in America and its effect on students and educators
www.the-pom.com
November 18, 2025 at 3:04 PM
Today, @hbomax.bsky.social airs their new doc "Thoughts & Prayers" on the $3 billion (!) shooting-preparedness industry and the sobering reality of how the U.S. has failed its children. @laureneahmed.bsky.social & @kristenmulrooney.bsky.social review the film here: www.the-pom.com/p/review-hbo...
Reposted by Eric Albert
With the news of the repugnant Operation Charlotte's Web, I can't wait for Homeland Security to release their next programs, Operation Goodnight Moon (defunding NASA), Operation Green Eggs and Ham (defunding the FDA) and Operation Busytown (the worm in RFKJr's brain stages a coup against Mamdani)
November 17, 2025 at 10:42 PM
With the news of the repugnant Operation Charlotte's Web, I can't wait for Homeland Security to release their next programs, Operation Goodnight Moon (defunding NASA), Operation Green Eggs and Ham (defunding the FDA) and Operation Busytown (the worm in RFKJr's brain stages a coup against Mamdani)
Reposted by Eric Albert
Are plants intelligent? It depends on how you define it. https://www.snexplores.org/article/plants-intelligent-communicate-learn?utm_source=hootsuite&utm_medium=bluesky&utm_campaign=snesnsocial
Are plants intelligent? It seems to depend on how you define it
Plants can do a lot of the same things animals do: communicate, learn — even remember. Now scientists want to know if that means they’re intelligent.
www.snexplores.org
November 17, 2025 at 11:30 PM
Are plants intelligent? It depends on how you define it. https://www.snexplores.org/article/plants-intelligent-communicate-learn?utm_source=hootsuite&utm_medium=bluesky&utm_campaign=snesnsocial
Reposted by Eric Albert
Do you think, overall, the Eagles bring fans more happiness or cause a shorter life span?
November 17, 2025 at 4:24 AM
Do you think, overall, the Eagles bring fans more happiness or cause a shorter life span?
Reposted by Eric Albert
'Four cones wins, but in order to get a cone you have to build a civilization. Which is where the spirit cards come in'
November 15, 2025 at 11:25 PM
'Four cones wins, but in order to get a cone you have to build a civilization. Which is where the spirit cards come in'
Reposted by Eric Albert
#opentable is spying on you
https://nypost.com/2025/11/12/lifestyle/diner-ai-data-on-opentable-could-get-you-a-canceled-reservation-for-being-a-no-show-late-we-have-the-power-to-do-that/
#privacy #food #restaurant #food
https://nypost.com/2025/11/12/lifestyle/diner-ai-data-on-opentable-could-get-you-a-canceled-reservation-for-being-a-no-show-late-we-have-the-power-to-do-that/
#privacy #food #restaurant #food
Open Table is spying on you — and ratting out your bad habits like being late, canceling to restaurants
'If the data isn't used responsibly, diners can be unfairly labeled based on one bad night,' an industry insider said.
nypost.com
November 15, 2025 at 7:01 AM