medievalmvb
LightNews LightNews
banner
medievalmvb.bsky.social
medievalmvb
@medievalmvb.bsky.social
2.1K followers 1.6K following 2K posts
medievalist (researching climate in medieval literature) | working remotely at Durham University, UK | lost decade at The SunBreak & Seattlest | outdoor photographer see https://mikevanbaker.myportfolio.com/work
Posts Replies Media Videos
medievalmvb.bsky.social
having a conversation with the Amazon AI chatbot, so lifelike!
Chat screenshot: Amazon bot: Thank you for your patience. Just to confirm have you tried any troubleshooting steps for this issue? Me: Uh it arrived broken? AB: I'm sorry to hear that. Please no worries I'll help you with this. Just to confirm the item is in usable condition? Me: No because it is broken AB: Thank you for confirming. Me: I use to word broken to indicate that it is unusable
November 11, 2025 at 1:16 AM
medievalmvb.bsky.social
‘Driftwood’ by Travis

#heron
Photo: a great blue heron stands on a driftwood log in placid blue water, back to the camera but looking left to keep an eye on photographer, its large wings are folded neatly away and long neck extended, with a shock of dark blue hair atop its head
November 10, 2025 at 9:22 PM
medievalmvb.bsky.social
Adam Sacks on design review
iPhone photo of a New Yorker cartoon by Adam Sacks: two ancient Greeks (one less ancient, beardless) in togas are standing at the foot of a hill atop which a crane is assembling a stone pillar and the older bearded Greek says: “Oh great, just what this polis needs, another hilltop post-and-lintel temple.”
November 9, 2025 at 6:48 PM
medievalmvb.bsky.social
What a difference a day makes
Screenshot of search results for “jobs” in the Wall Street Journal: NOVEMBER 05, 2025 12:05 PM U.S. Private Sector Added 42,000 Jobs in October, Says Payroll Processor NOVEMBER 06,2025 8:42 AM Employers Cut More Than a Million Jobs This Year
November 6, 2025 at 4:46 PM
medievalmvb.bsky.social
Sundar Pichai on Alphabet's Q3 earnings call:

"AI Overviews drive meaningful query growth ... as users continue to learn that Google can answer more of their questions."

Huh. Let's ask Google AI Overview!

82% are skeptical of the information provided? Gosh.
Screenshot from Google AI Overview: Key User Sentiments • Mixed Trust and Utility: While about half of users find the summaries at least "somewhat helpful," trust is mixed. Many users (around 82%) are skeptical and only "sometimes trust" the information provided. • Accuracy Concerns: A significant number of users (over 70% in one survey) report personally experiencing at least one significant mistake, such as misleading health advice or factual errors, leading to a general lack of confidence in the feature. • Generational Divide: Younger users (Gen Z and Millennials) are more enthusiastic and find the feature more useful and trustworthy, whereas older generations are more skeptical and tend to skip the summaries. • Desire for Control: A majority of users (over 55%) would like the option to turn off Al Overviews, at least for some queries, indicating a preference for traditional search results in many cases.
November 4, 2025 at 2:22 AM
medievalmvb.bsky.social
chat is this good? 🧐
Chart from FRED showing that the Fed just dumped about $30 billion into overnight repos, after a recent $10 billion surge, with nothing comparable since the COVID shutdown (a $60 billion dump)
November 1, 2025 at 9:23 PM
medievalmvb.bsky.social
see this? See how it’s 98% “Mamdani hijab 9/11”? There is no way to repost this with a tiny “lmao” up top that doesn’t more efficiently pass along “Mamdani hijab 9/11” to readers who respond viscerally to that messaging (not you, you’re too smart, other people)
October 28, 2025 at 5:49 PM
medievalmvb.bsky.social
Screenshot from Princess Bride: Christopher Guest’s life-sucking torturer is standing next to Prince Humperdinck, a quote balloon added to go with quoted skeet
October 28, 2025 at 4:31 PM
medievalmvb.bsky.social
See alt text
Info card : Alice Anderson Floorboards Data, 2015 In 2011, Alice Anderson developed the method of "memorising," a weaving technique using copper wire, a metal known for its conductivity and which, for her, represents technological connectivity. Inspired by various ancestral practices, she revisits weaving, considered a spiritual act with meditative virtues. She thus "memorises" various objects to turn them into "spiritual machines." Anderson also creates large installations that emerge during ritualised, collective "dance-performances." This is the case of this work for which the artist, accompanied by other performers, covered monumental circles with copper wire.
October 26, 2025 at 10:18 PM
medievalmvb.bsky.social
a piece I really liked at the Guggenheim in Malaga, it has a sinuous, thready, sculptural presence, if you like the copper-wire colour it's a thrill to let your eye follow it through space, but 'Floorboards Data' (2015) by Alice Anderson is also a remnant of a multi-person, weaving-into-memory dance
Photo: crop of a larger work, a series of circular shapes, tall as a person, created by a singular "backbone" structure extending over some 20 feet, itself covered entirely by fine copper wire (glinting yellow to orange to burnt umber), the closest circle (to the camera) is an out-of-focus arc on the lefthand side of the frame
October 26, 2025 at 8:37 PM
medievalmvb.bsky.social
Like the flag
October 24, 2025 at 5:14 AM
medievalmvb.bsky.social
one of these photos is from Task (HBO) which is about birder (less importantly, FBI agent) Mark Ruffalo and one is from my backyard #synchronicity #SpiritusMundi
Task screenshot: goldfinch perched on a common backyard bird feeder holder, two curved black metal arms and a black metal bird stamp-out atop central pole Photo: acorn woodpecker (red-headed, white-faced, black body) ogling the black-metal bird stamp-out sitting atop the central pole of a common backyard bird feeder holder
October 24, 2025 at 3:20 AM
medievalmvb.bsky.social
A J. A. K. @jasonadamk.bsky.social original from The New Yorker
New Yorker cartoon: two elephants are stepping on the the gangplank onto Noah’s Ark (diminutive Noah holding staff to left) and one is saying to the other (trunk outstretched because it is talking) “You insist we’re ’just friends,’ but then you invite me to stuff like this.” The necks of two giraffes protrude from behind them which is not necessary but adds a little unintentional eavesdropping frisson.
October 21, 2025 at 5:23 PM
medievalmvb.bsky.social
Penguin of Gratitude
Photo: high contrast African penguin portrait, little fella so can fit whole body in frame, head turned in profile, pink eyeliner, black hood, white torso and legs (stubby), oversized feet, wings at sides but held out slightly like he’s ready to draw on you
October 20, 2025 at 10:46 PM
medievalmvb.bsky.social
shoot this one’s possibly on me guys, I didn’t realize it was a strict pint-to-run ratio and only drank 2 glasses #goMs
iPhone photo of a beer tap advertising Scuttlebutt (Everett) Brewing Co.’s collab with Cal Raleigh called of course Big Dumper, art features a cartoon Cal driving a beer truck
October 20, 2025 at 3:18 AM
medievalmvb.bsky.social
Screenshot of an Onion article with a blue and yellow parrot in profile and the headline is “Parrot Lying”
October 19, 2025 at 6:56 PM
medievalmvb.bsky.social
😤 no one in this movie even HAS cats
Screenshot from CAT PEOPLE (1982) with Nastassja Kinski in a slip opposite Malcolm McDowell who is in a black leather coat like a badass
October 14, 2025 at 2:06 AM
medievalmvb.bsky.social
lionness mid-meal, startlingly loud cracking sound from the ribs of an unlucky kudu, makes you think twice about behind-the-ear skritches #krugernationalpark #kapamariverlodge
Photo: close-up of a lioness looking right toward camera as she feeds, nose and upper whiskers stained with blood, big beautiful yellow eyes "the better to see you with", but white chin somehow unstained
October 14, 2025 at 12:14 AM
medievalmvb.bsky.social
two shots of a Wahlberg’s eagle (Mark is a birder?!) from greater Kruger National Park, South Africa

small for an eagle, even beak-wise, but beautiful dipped-in-chocolate vibes nom nom

this one was v curious and flew over us a few times
Photo: Wahlberg’s eagle braking in flight, both wings outstretched, tips blowing upward, wings are a darker brown than lighter brown body, small hooked yellow beak, eye is on camera Photo: Wahlberg’s eagle sitting on a large tree branch, in profile, you can see a tracery of delicate white feathers extending back near beak like a little neck-beard, wings have light and dark brown-blotch pattern shading darker at wingtips
October 13, 2025 at 3:33 PM
medievalmvb.bsky.social
#leopard vision
Photo: crop of leopard’s shoulder and head in a thicket, it’s looking back with green eyes towards the camera, its mouth slightly open so two lower canines show, it’s been in some battles recently and there are pink divots across its face where the fur is gone including under its right eye, so it looks like a boxer
October 9, 2025 at 12:35 AM
medievalmvb.bsky.social
#malaga #sunset from the terrace bar at Paradores de Málaga
iPhone photo: looking through a broad stone archway you see white plastic cafe chairs and tables loaded with wine glasses, two more stone archways open onto a view of the hills and then sky over Malaga, the hilltops painted with a thin orange brush that quickly turns to deep blue
October 6, 2025 at 8:15 AM
medievalmvb.bsky.social
Earlier post from same braintrust saying “You can program a Tesla to make it fart”
October 6, 2025 at 8:04 AM
medievalmvb.bsky.social
#malaga 2x
Photo: in the green lushness of Málaga Park at the end of the day a food delivery person rests on a bench (left), feet on scooter, in silhouette while sunlight shines beyond the tree canopy Photo: Málaga’s Alcazaba (11-14thC) sits up on a hill overlooking the port city, the photo here is of an interior room with a sepia column topped with scallops in front of a burgundy wall with an top-arched window (also scalloped) through which can be seen the city and hills opposite
October 5, 2025 at 8:02 PM
medievalmvb.bsky.social
how your email finds me #KapamaRiverLodge #SouthAfrica
Photo: a subadult male lion is lying on his back in brown grass, head thrown back, left paw draped over chest, rear legs splayed, very much as if he passed out after a night of clubbing
October 1, 2025 at 2:30 PM
medievalmvb.bsky.social
couldn’t eat my pizza in time for massage so they walked it over to the spa for me and now I have a new business idea #KapamaRiverLodge #RelaxYourWay
iPhone photo: a pizza on a plate on a round table overlooking a slice of pool dotted with beach umbrellas
September 30, 2025 at 1:31 PM