Andrew Ek
LightNews LightNews
ektastrophe.bsky.social
Andrew Ek
@ektastrophe.bsky.social
760 followers 540 following 700 posts
I write Elixir and Ruby and a lot of nonsense. Senior software engineer at Hummingbird. Co-Host of the BEAM Radio podcast. Former English and Math teacher. Cat dad and human dad. Pretty deaf. Lincoln, Nebraska, USA

Kindness is a survival skill.
Posts Replies Media Videos
ektastrophe.bsky.social
I befriended a grasshopper today.
A roughly 2.5 inch long grasshopper perches on the side of a backpack, and appears to be regarding the photographer warily.
October 6, 2025 at 3:05 AM
ektastrophe.bsky.social
At least I’ve got my NYT crosswords…
New York Times crossword puzzle completion screen. I did the 2025-06-11 crossword in 5:30, on a 74 day streak.
June 11, 2025 at 5:17 AM
ektastrophe.bsky.social
Ha, yeah. Page 16 of “Anti-Money Laundering in a Nutshell” by Kevin Sullivan.

The author has a specific flair for colorful details. I read this book a few months back for my new job and this bit made me laugh.
Photo of page 16 of “Anti-Money Laundering in a Nutshell” by Kevin Sullivan. The note in question reads: Note: Legend has it that during an investigation by the IRS in Florida in which agents were conducting surveillance on a structuring operation, one of the agents commented that several of the runners who were physically placing the money into the bank accounts looked like Smurfs from the TV cartoon. The name smurfs stuck and has been the unofficial nickname used to describe individuals who make a series of cash transactions to avoid the BSA requirements. Hence, the term smurfing has become synonymous with structuring.
May 30, 2025 at 5:35 PM
ektastrophe.bsky.social
Feeling pretty good about my NYT crosswords. 47-day streak of solutions (no hints), and a steady improvement of times.
May 15, 2025 at 4:32 AM
ektastrophe.bsky.social
I’ve been working through my crossword backlog (100% completion between May 1 2022 and today). The big stretches of unstarted puzzles have been an interesting diary.

In the pictured month, for example, I changed jobs, then my wife and I caught Covid, plus we moved to a new house.
April 1, 2025 at 8:20 PM
ektastrophe.bsky.social
And of course a turkey
A turkey
November 21, 2024 at 4:10 PM
ektastrophe.bsky.social
Here’s a bee
Honey bee in flight, getting ready to visit a purple catnip plant
November 21, 2024 at 4:10 PM
ektastrophe.bsky.social
Here are some bison
Two soggy bison grazing in a field of flowers after a rain storm A bison near sunset, with prairie plants in the foreground A big old bison eating some grass. A chunk of grass hangs from its mouth.
November 21, 2024 at 4:10 PM
ektastrophe.bsky.social
Here is a peacock photo I took at the zoo.
A close-up-ish photo of a peacock with its tail fanned out
November 21, 2024 at 4:10 PM