Mark
@marksalad.bsky.social
Recent migrant from the hellsite
Based on a true story
Generally interested
Building online things since the 90s
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Based on a true story
Generally interested
Building online things since the 90s
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Reposted by Mark
Once in a century political opportunity here, if only there were a party to claim it
"According to the…annual Harris Poll, for the 1st time, a majority of Americans believe billionaires are a threat to democracy. A remarkable 71% believe there should be a wealth tax. A majority believe there should be a cap on how much wealth a person can accumulate." www.nytimes.com/2025/12/14/o...
Opinion | The Billionaires Have Gone Full Louis XV
www.nytimes.com
December 15, 2025 at 6:31 PM
Once in a century political opportunity here, if only there were a party to claim it
Reposted by Mark
Conservatives are more prone to slippery slope thinking
Conservatives are more prone to slippery slope thinking
A new study links conservatism to a greater acceptance of slippery slope reasoning. The evidence suggests this association relies on intuitive thinking and predicts support for harsher criminal sentencing.
www.psypost.org
December 10, 2025 at 11:25 AM
Conservatives are more prone to slippery slope thinking
Considered and detailed piece on the current mis/dis/information wars by @jamesrball.com
There's something deeply Orwellian (not using that lightly) about how this circle jerk process has captured the legislature. Worth following one of the handful of journalists who genuinely gets this stuff.
There's something deeply Orwellian (not using that lightly) about how this circle jerk process has captured the legislature. Worth following one of the handful of journalists who genuinely gets this stuff.
"Across the world, newsrooms and NGOs are being shuttered or even raided by authorities, all in the name of a crusade to protect free speech. And it’s just getting started."
www.theverge.com/features/839...
www.theverge.com/features/839...
The disinformation wars are here
How Joe Biden’s administration caved to the right in the battle for truth.
www.theverge.com
December 9, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Considered and detailed piece on the current mis/dis/information wars by @jamesrball.com
There's something deeply Orwellian (not using that lightly) about how this circle jerk process has captured the legislature. Worth following one of the handful of journalists who genuinely gets this stuff.
There's something deeply Orwellian (not using that lightly) about how this circle jerk process has captured the legislature. Worth following one of the handful of journalists who genuinely gets this stuff.
Reposted by Mark
1. Some good news at last. This week’s column is about the amazing thing a couple of us stumbled into three years ago, which we’ve now developed into a global research programme. It doesn’t change everything, of course, but it could help change quite a lot. + 🧵 www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Over a pint in Oxford, we may have stumbled upon the holy grail of agriculture | George Monbiot
I knew that a revolution in our understanding of soil could change the world. Then came a eureka moment – and the birth of the Earth Rover Program, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot
www.theguardian.com
December 5, 2025 at 6:55 AM
1. Some good news at last. This week’s column is about the amazing thing a couple of us stumbled into three years ago, which we’ve now developed into a global research programme. It doesn’t change everything, of course, but it could help change quite a lot. + 🧵 www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by Mark
a rare chance to catch DRASS 'live' on the internet.
20:00 GMT Friday 28th November 2025 - put it in your diary now!
20:00 GMT Friday 28th November 2025 - put it in your diary now!
November 19, 2025 at 3:46 PM
a rare chance to catch DRASS 'live' on the internet.
20:00 GMT Friday 28th November 2025 - put it in your diary now!
20:00 GMT Friday 28th November 2025 - put it in your diary now!
Reposted by Mark
November 27, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Reposted by Mark
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
November 25, 2025 at 9:26 AM
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
Interesting, but also - at some level :shocked_face:
Research suggests rich people tend to be more selfish – but why is that?
Research suggests rich people tend to be more selfish – but why is that?
A growing body of psychological research suggests wealth can foster selfishness, unethical behavior, and emotional disconnection, hinting that money might subtly reshape how people treat others.
www.psypost.org
November 8, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Interesting, but also - at some level :shocked_face:
Reposted by Mark
open.substack.com/pub/rorycell... After a trip to a college in Ebbw Vale to talk about fake news some reflections on the battle between truth and falsehood - and how the tech giants reward ‘clickable’ lies
Telling the truth about misinformation
Why schoolchildren need to learn about fake news - and so do the rest of us
open.substack.com
November 7, 2025 at 2:45 PM
open.substack.com/pub/rorycell... After a trip to a college in Ebbw Vale to talk about fake news some reflections on the battle between truth and falsehood - and how the tech giants reward ‘clickable’ lies
Link to the story is in the thread - hands down, the funniest news item I've seen for a while.
October 25, 2025 at 11:58 AM
Link to the story is in the thread - hands down, the funniest news item I've seen for a while.
Reposted by Mark
IMPORTANT
All freelancers, self-employed, creatives
This is the first I've heard of this, but the Department for Business and Trade is running a consultation on the scourge of late payments, they want to introduce new legislation to tackle poor practices
Deadline to respond is 23 October
1/2
All freelancers, self-employed, creatives
This is the first I've heard of this, but the Department for Business and Trade is running a consultation on the scourge of late payments, they want to introduce new legislation to tackle poor practices
Deadline to respond is 23 October
1/2
October 7, 2025 at 9:56 AM
IMPORTANT
All freelancers, self-employed, creatives
This is the first I've heard of this, but the Department for Business and Trade is running a consultation on the scourge of late payments, they want to introduce new legislation to tackle poor practices
Deadline to respond is 23 October
1/2
All freelancers, self-employed, creatives
This is the first I've heard of this, but the Department for Business and Trade is running a consultation on the scourge of late payments, they want to introduce new legislation to tackle poor practices
Deadline to respond is 23 October
1/2
Reposted by Mark
Reposted by Mark
Interesting and thoughtful piece about what informs policy decisions and how much we can rely on the accuracy of it.
My cover feature* on the huge problems with the statistics underpinning society is already live online, and you can read it here.
*look up in the top left corner, THAT COUNTS (sort of)
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/busine...
*look up in the top left corner, THAT COUNTS (sort of)
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/busine...
September 3, 2025 at 2:50 PM
Interesting and thoughtful piece about what informs policy decisions and how much we can rely on the accuracy of it.
Reposted by Mark
A fascinating study, showing that reliance on AI, or even just exposure to AI assistance, makes doctors less able to diagnose cancer after just a few weeks.
A huge piece of evidence that the main effect of AI on humans is skill decay.
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
A huge piece of evidence that the main effect of AI on humans is skill decay.
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Endoscopist deskilling risk after exposure to artificial intelligence in colonoscopy: a multicentre, observational study
Continuous exposure to AI might reduce the ADR of standard non-AI assisted colonoscopy,
suggesting a negative effect on endoscopist behaviour.
www.thelancet.com
August 20, 2025 at 4:31 PM
A fascinating study, showing that reliance on AI, or even just exposure to AI assistance, makes doctors less able to diagnose cancer after just a few weeks.
A huge piece of evidence that the main effect of AI on humans is skill decay.
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
A huge piece of evidence that the main effect of AI on humans is skill decay.
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Reposted by Mark
Bright children from low-income homes lose cognitive edge in early secondary school
Bright children from low-income homes lose cognitive edge in early secondary school
A new UK study finds that bright 5-year-olds from low-income families match their affluent peers academically through primary school, but between ages 11 and 14, they face steep declines in motivation, behavior, mental health, and exam performance.
www.psypost.org
August 8, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Bright children from low-income homes lose cognitive edge in early secondary school
Reposted by Mark
A Utah GOP senator rewrote consent laws after his 18-year-old relative was charged with raping a 13-year-old. Now that same relative avoids prison and sex offender status. This isn’t justice—it’s abuse of power to protect your own. www.yahoo.com/news/article...
GOP Senator Changed Utah’s Consent Law After Family Member Raped 13-Year-Old
The Republican is taking the party’s obsession with “family values” to a whole new level of hypocrisy.
www.yahoo.com
August 8, 2025 at 2:23 PM
A Utah GOP senator rewrote consent laws after his 18-year-old relative was charged with raping a 13-year-old. Now that same relative avoids prison and sex offender status. This isn’t justice—it’s abuse of power to protect your own. www.yahoo.com/news/article...
Reposted by Mark
Scientists demonstrate that “AI’s superhuman persuasiveness is already a reality”
Scientists demonstrate that “AI’s superhuman persuasiveness is already a reality”
A recent study reveals that AI is not just a capable debater but a superior one. When personalized, ChatGPT's arguments were over 64% more likely to sway opinions than a human's, a significant and potentially concerning leap in persuasive capability.
www.psypost.org
July 18, 2025 at 10:12 AM
Scientists demonstrate that “AI’s superhuman persuasiveness is already a reality”
This is fascinating, intriguing enough to make me go look it up: The Pack Horse Library Project, lots more info here:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pack_Ho...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pack_Ho...
July 16, 2025 at 8:50 AM
This is fascinating, intriguing enough to make me go look it up: The Pack Horse Library Project, lots more info here:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pack_Ho...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pack_Ho...
Reposted by Mark
Many people are saying the President is too old. He thinks recordings are live videos. He calls it the Secretary of War! Can you believe that? There hasn't been a Secretary of War since the 40's. It's a joke, folks. Our country is a joke. Everyone is laughing at us. It's unbelievable.
Pete Hegseth was not on Fox News this morning. They did play a clip of a video Hegseth posted on social media. Perhaps a confused Trump thought it was live.
July 11, 2025 at 2:57 PM
Many people are saying the President is too old. He thinks recordings are live videos. He calls it the Secretary of War! Can you believe that? There hasn't been a Secretary of War since the 40's. It's a joke, folks. Our country is a joke. Everyone is laughing at us. It's unbelievable.
Reposted by Mark
If you ask the new Grok (via grok.com without any custom instructions) for opinions on controversial topics it runs a search on X to see what Elon thinks
I know this sounds like a joke but it's not. This genuinely happens: x.com/jeremyphowar...
I know this sounds like a joke but it's not. This genuinely happens: x.com/jeremyphowar...
July 10, 2025 at 10:53 PM
If you ask the new Grok (via grok.com without any custom instructions) for opinions on controversial topics it runs a search on X to see what Elon thinks
I know this sounds like a joke but it's not. This genuinely happens: x.com/jeremyphowar...
I know this sounds like a joke but it's not. This genuinely happens: x.com/jeremyphowar...
Reposted by Mark
If you learn how to recognize GAN generated photos of fake people that don’t exist in social media profile pictures, it can often be the first indication that you’re dealing with a dishonest person that you may not want to waste your time on.
Just a tip.
Just a tip.
Unaltered StyleGAN-generated faces have very consistent facial feature positioning, which becomes obvious when several such images are blended together. Other anomalies, such as mismatched earrings and odd blending between the face, hair, and background, are present in "Carol's'" avatar as well.
June 29, 2025 at 6:19 PM
If you learn how to recognize GAN generated photos of fake people that don’t exist in social media profile pictures, it can often be the first indication that you’re dealing with a dishonest person that you may not want to waste your time on.
Just a tip.
Just a tip.
Long, but incisive thread worth the read
🧵 THREAD: Why the Cato Institute’s new paper on “misinformation panic” is dangerously wrong, and why it completely misunderstands the real crisis we face.
www.cato.org/policy-analy...
www.cato.org/policy-analy...
The Misleading Panic over Misinformation
People can’t agree on how to define misinformation and its related terms, making regulation nearly impossible. Instead, free expression serves as a better tool for discovering truth.
www.cato.org
June 27, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Long, but incisive thread worth the read
It's worth reading this and doing some reading around it to understand the "local media" landscape that's getting surfaced so much of late. Click bait dressing up as local interest and concerns as far as I've observed. Turn Discovery off.
What a hollowed-out fucked-up corporate “local news industry” we’ve got, reliant on disillusioned poverty pay graduates rewriting dodgy press releases that are gamed for SEO by a casino, all enabled by Google pushing this shit through its Discover tab.
pressgazette.co.uk/news/the-pr-...
pressgazette.co.uk/news/the-pr-...
The PR agency, the publishers and the disappearing lottery winners
Lottery winners whose stories promoted casino website cannot be found.
pressgazette.co.uk
June 26, 2025 at 11:34 AM
It's worth reading this and doing some reading around it to understand the "local media" landscape that's getting surfaced so much of late. Click bait dressing up as local interest and concerns as far as I've observed. Turn Discovery off.
Reposted by Mark
Minnesota has exceptional local news. @mprnews.org and @startribune.com know their communities and will steer you right.
June 14, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Minnesota has exceptional local news. @mprnews.org and @startribune.com know their communities and will steer you right.