John Labbe
@johnlabbe.bsky.social
Born a Mainer, now a (suburban) Chicagoan. Toastmaster, Bates '73. Woodworker and maker of fine sawdust.
If someone has an AI app generate a blog post, is it even ethical for them to claim that they wrote the post?
December 8, 2025 at 7:10 PM
If someone has an AI app generate a blog post, is it even ethical for them to claim that they wrote the post?
Every day I lament that Neil Postman was right: ours is an age of entertainment and our lives are much worse as as a result. We are electing officials from the world of amusement and it's killing us.
November 28, 2025 at 9:17 PM
Every day I lament that Neil Postman was right: ours is an age of entertainment and our lives are much worse as as a result. We are electing officials from the world of amusement and it's killing us.
I'm old enough to recall that the "five and dime" stores like Woolworth's sold higher quality goods than today's dollar stores.
October 5, 2025 at 2:13 PM
I'm old enough to recall that the "five and dime" stores like Woolworth's sold higher quality goods than today's dollar stores.
If shutting down the government is truly a good thing in the eyes of Republicans, why do they feel the need to blame Democrats?
October 2, 2025 at 5:22 PM
If shutting down the government is truly a good thing in the eyes of Republicans, why do they feel the need to blame Democrats?
A query for my fellow makers of sawdust: where in YouTube can I find a really solid, pretty granular and down-in-weeds tutorial on using a bench grinder to establish a new bevel angle? I have a grinder butvso for all I've been able to do with it is screw up my blades. #woodworking
June 17, 2025 at 4:22 PM
A query for my fellow makers of sawdust: where in YouTube can I find a really solid, pretty granular and down-in-weeds tutorial on using a bench grinder to establish a new bevel angle? I have a grinder butvso for all I've been able to do with it is screw up my blades. #woodworking
I find it maddeningly ironic that CNN's relentless promotion of Tapper's book about the cover-up of President Biden's physical decline is, essentially, contributing to the cover-up of Trump's much more troubling mental decline.
May 21, 2025 at 3:29 AM
I find it maddeningly ironic that CNN's relentless promotion of Tapper's book about the cover-up of President Biden's physical decline is, essentially, contributing to the cover-up of Trump's much more troubling mental decline.
Is it even a Fluffernutter if you use whole-grain bread? Asking for a friend.
April 6, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Is it even a Fluffernutter if you use whole-grain bread? Asking for a friend.
What kind of person, in a position related to national security, decides that it's more important to discuss policy in secret so as to be unaccountable than it is to keep policy discussions secure from foreign surveillance? Maybe someone who wants the discussion to be overheard?
March 28, 2025 at 2:42 AM
What kind of person, in a position related to national security, decides that it's more important to discuss policy in secret so as to be unaccountable than it is to keep policy discussions secure from foreign surveillance? Maybe someone who wants the discussion to be overheard?
Sad to hear that furniture maker Thomas Moser died recently, at 90. He taught at Bates while I was a student there, just before starting his cabinet-making business. His book How to Build Shaker Furniture was my introduction to woodworking.
March 12, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Sad to hear that furniture maker Thomas Moser died recently, at 90. He taught at Bates while I was a student there, just before starting his cabinet-making business. His book How to Build Shaker Furniture was my introduction to woodworking.
Another real profile in cowardice, right here.
NEW: Senator Marshall (R-KS) RUNS AWAY, fleeing his own town hall after being asked about DOGE firing Veterans. MAKE HIM GO VIRAL.
March 3, 2025 at 11:50 PM
Another real profile in cowardice, right here.
Someone needs to put up a sign intended for Musk's eyes with the message, "You break the government, you pay for it."
February 27, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Someone needs to put up a sign intended for Musk's eyes with the message, "You break the government, you pay for it."
How do I tell Instagram to stop showing me morons praising Musk's rats?
February 23, 2025 at 9:55 PM
How do I tell Instagram to stop showing me morons praising Musk's rats?
For once, autocorrect improved something. I'd intended to write "Republican House plans" in a text, but ended up with "Republican houseplants" and I'm okay with this change.
February 13, 2025 at 11:36 PM
For once, autocorrect improved something. I'd intended to write "Republican House plans" in a text, but ended up with "Republican houseplants" and I'm okay with this change.
I just realized that I have never heard Elon Musk's voice. That just might make me the luckiest guy in the world.
January 21, 2025 at 4:28 PM
I just realized that I have never heard Elon Musk's voice. That just might make me the luckiest guy in the world.
Back to the gym today after a too,long hiatus. Happy to report that I remembered my way around the track and was not overtaken even once by an elder pulling an oxygen bottle around behind them.
January 6, 2025 at 10:45 PM
Back to the gym today after a too,long hiatus. Happy to report that I remembered my way around the track and was not overtaken even once by an elder pulling an oxygen bottle around behind them.
I made a small box for my sister to mark a divisible-by-ten birthday. Cherry, with a walnut top. The inside bottom is wrapped in suede. #woodworking
December 27, 2024 at 2:12 AM
I made a small box for my sister to mark a divisible-by-ten birthday. Cherry, with a walnut top. The inside bottom is wrapped in suede. #woodworking
Damn. I just finished the chapter on child discipline in Wild Faith by @swordsjew.bsky.social and i am sick to my stomach. I need a drink.
December 7, 2024 at 11:42 PM
Damn. I just finished the chapter on child discipline in Wild Faith by @swordsjew.bsky.social and i am sick to my stomach. I need a drink.
I can't be the only woodworker who sands baseboard and similar trim work to 240 like it's about to get dovetails, am I?
November 24, 2024 at 5:57 PM
I can't be the only woodworker who sands baseboard and similar trim work to 240 like it's about to get dovetails, am I?
Does anyone know why the bread industry refuses to follow the traditional "lefty loose, righty tighty" protocol with its little tie fasteners?
November 15, 2024 at 4:53 AM
Does anyone know why the bread industry refuses to follow the traditional "lefty loose, righty tighty" protocol with its little tie fasteners?
This is how the Dark Ages began, isn't it? Who will be our Michelangelo, our Chaucer?
November 14, 2024 at 2:59 AM
This is how the Dark Ages began, isn't it? Who will be our Michelangelo, our Chaucer?
After 70 years of time changes, you'd think that seeing the sun so low at 3:30 in the afternoon before Thanksgiving would be not surprising. And you would be not right.
November 12, 2024 at 7:37 PM
After 70 years of time changes, you'd think that seeing the sun so low at 3:30 in the afternoon before Thanksgiving would be not surprising. And you would be not right.
Oh, great. Four years of doomscrolling ahead. Ain't life grand?
November 6, 2024 at 8:02 PM
Oh, great. Four years of doomscrolling ahead. Ain't life grand?
Here in Illinois - at least out in the bucolic burbs - the "I Voted" stickers are quite mundane.
November 2, 2024 at 11:22 PM
Here in Illinois - at least out in the bucolic burbs - the "I Voted" stickers are quite mundane.
In anticipation of getting the new book by @swordsjew.bsky.social, I bought this one today. Holy moly, this is the embodiment of the "I did X for days so you wouldn't have to" meme! Two chapters in, and I'm hooked.
October 10, 2024 at 12:57 AM
In anticipation of getting the new book by @swordsjew.bsky.social, I bought this one today. Holy moly, this is the embodiment of the "I did X for days so you wouldn't have to" meme! Two chapters in, and I'm hooked.
Bluesky now has over 10 million users, and I was #5,611,566! It's almost exhilarating to be a not-elder at something.
September 16, 2024 at 10:46 PM
Bluesky now has over 10 million users, and I was #5,611,566! It's almost exhilarating to be a not-elder at something.