Paul Oswald
@poswald.bsky.social
Startup CTO in Japan, Angel Investor, part-time startup advisor, HNTokyo founder and MC, Python enthusiast, ex-Sony Music
NYC | Tokyo
Also at https://mastodon.social/@poswald
NYC | Tokyo
Also at https://mastodon.social/@poswald
Reposted by Paul Oswald
This is actually quite brilliant, up to and including the final sentence 🔥
December 1, 2025 at 11:09 AM
This is actually quite brilliant, up to and including the final sentence 🔥
Reposted by Paul Oswald
when someone tells me not to use em dashes because AI uses em dashes
November 30, 2025 at 7:48 PM
when someone tells me not to use em dashes because AI uses em dashes
Reposted by Paul Oswald
I've seen this image enough now that I feel like I should point out it's fake.
November 24, 2025 at 4:12 AM
I've seen this image enough now that I feel like I should point out it's fake.
Reposted by Paul Oswald
BLANK SPACE: A Cultural History of the 21st Century
OUT TODAY 11/18/25
culture.ghost.io/my-new-book-...
OUT TODAY 11/18/25
culture.ghost.io/my-new-book-...
My New Book, Blank Space, is Out Today
I wrote — perhaps “inadvisably” — a cultural history of the first 24.5 years of the 21st century
My third book, Blank Space: A Cultural History of the 21st Century, is out today from Viking Books. (I...
culture.ghost.io
November 18, 2025 at 12:39 PM
BLANK SPACE: A Cultural History of the 21st Century
OUT TODAY 11/18/25
culture.ghost.io/my-new-book-...
OUT TODAY 11/18/25
culture.ghost.io/my-new-book-...
Reposted by Paul Oswald
In 2014 Sony sold its waterproof Walkmans in a bottle of water to prove it was really waterproof
November 8, 2025 at 11:36 AM
In 2014 Sony sold its waterproof Walkmans in a bottle of water to prove it was really waterproof
Reposted by Paul Oswald
Still the greatest endorsement of all time
October 20, 2025 at 12:22 AM
Still the greatest endorsement of all time
Reposted by Paul Oswald
I get the point that's trying to be made here, but it's actually inaccurate. The *MAJORITY* of actual practitioners in the tech industry have a position that is neither of these, it's merely getting drowned out by these two loud positions. The most common belief in the tech industry is simple:
There are basically only two positions in the debate about AI.
1. I’ve barely invested any time in learning how to use it effectively. AI sucks.
2. I’ve invested in learning how to use this tool. Holy cow, it’s transformational.
Position #1 has lower barriers to entry.
1. I’ve barely invested any time in learning how to use it effectively. AI sucks.
2. I’ve invested in learning how to use this tool. Holy cow, it’s transformational.
Position #1 has lower barriers to entry.
October 17, 2025 at 4:32 AM
I get the point that's trying to be made here, but it's actually inaccurate. The *MAJORITY* of actual practitioners in the tech industry have a position that is neither of these, it's merely getting drowned out by these two loud positions. The most common belief in the tech industry is simple:
Reposted by Paul Oswald
This two-parter below is exactly why it's hard to make clothes in the United States.
Let's look at how much it costs to produce a button-up shirt in the US. 🧵
Let's look at how much it costs to produce a button-up shirt in the US. 🧵
October 12, 2025 at 9:38 PM
This two-parter below is exactly why it's hard to make clothes in the United States.
Let's look at how much it costs to produce a button-up shirt in the US. 🧵
Let's look at how much it costs to produce a button-up shirt in the US. 🧵
Reposted by Paul Oswald
Ishiba's address on the eightieth anniversary of the end of the war is really worth reading:
japan.kantei.go.jp/content/0001...
japan.kantei.go.jp/content/0001...
japan.kantei.go.jp
October 10, 2025 at 6:41 PM
Ishiba's address on the eightieth anniversary of the end of the war is really worth reading:
japan.kantei.go.jp/content/0001...
japan.kantei.go.jp/content/0001...
Maybe the rapture happened but nobody made the cut to get selected to go
September 23, 2025 at 11:53 PM
Maybe the rapture happened but nobody made the cut to get selected to go
I had the w800 (on the left) and it could hold like 3 albums of music.
June 16, 2025 at 10:27 PM
I had the w800 (on the left) and it could hold like 3 albums of music.
Reposted by Paul Oswald
new @literaryhub.bsky.social essay up today: The Creative Power of Walking
lithub.com/craig-mod-on...
lithub.com/craig-mod-on...
Craig Mod on the Creative Power of Walking
This first appeared in Lit Hub’s Craft of Writing newsletter—sign up here. The fullest day I know of begins with taking a portrait of a stranger in the middle of nowhere by 10 a.m. I do this while …
lithub.com
May 9, 2025 at 5:04 PM
new @literaryhub.bsky.social essay up today: The Creative Power of Walking
lithub.com/craig-mod-on...
lithub.com/craig-mod-on...
@simonwillison.net regarding the definition of vibe coding… for me it can be accepting one line or whole files or projects. The thing that makes it vibe coding is if you bother to read and understand the code it is suggesting.
May 2, 2025 at 11:05 AM
@simonwillison.net regarding the definition of vibe coding… for me it can be accepting one line or whole files or projects. The thing that makes it vibe coding is if you bother to read and understand the code it is suggesting.
It's interesting that there is all of this debate about Japanese failing to import US cars because the entire US industry has focused on huge-ass trucks… and at the same time a new truck was announced that looks like it might actually do well in the Japanese market. www.slate.auto/en
SLATE
SLATE Auto | The Customizable EV That Works for You
www.slate.auto
April 26, 2025 at 2:21 PM
It's interesting that there is all of this debate about Japanese failing to import US cars because the entire US industry has focused on huge-ass trucks… and at the same time a new truck was announced that looks like it might actually do well in the Japanese market. www.slate.auto/en
Really climbing the ratio rankings
🧵 There are a lot of misleading claims out there about the SAVE Act. Let me set the record straight: I voted for the SAVE Act for the simple reason that American elections are for Americans. Requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote is common sense.
April 11, 2025 at 11:03 AM
Really climbing the ratio rankings
Reposted by Paul Oswald
Okay, it's finally time: Dolly, we need you to record the long-lost song that Prince recorded for you almost 40 years ago. www.anildash.com/2025/04/10/d...
It's time for Dolly to record that long-lost Prince song - Anil Dash
A blog about making culture. Since 1999.
www.anildash.com
April 11, 2025 at 3:21 AM
Okay, it's finally time: Dolly, we need you to record the long-lost song that Prince recorded for you almost 40 years ago. www.anildash.com/2025/04/10/d...
March 14, 2025 at 11:27 PM
Reposted by Paul Oswald
just a reminder that in the middle of covid i made a little documentary about a guy down the road from me making some nice pizza toast: www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5SL...
Pizza Toast & Coffee: Kissa Būgen
YouTube video by Craig Mod
www.youtube.com
March 12, 2025 at 3:10 AM
just a reminder that in the middle of covid i made a little documentary about a guy down the road from me making some nice pizza toast: www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5SL...
A lot of people mistake aggressive risk taking for genius. It can take a long time for someone doing that to blow up and in the meantime they can fool a lot of people. When their number finally comes up, they can have such a following that they rely on their popularity and network to recover.
March 11, 2025 at 12:40 PM
A lot of people mistake aggressive risk taking for genius. It can take a long time for someone doing that to blow up and in the meantime they can fool a lot of people. When their number finally comes up, they can have such a following that they rely on their popularity and network to recover.
Hell yeah NJ
also, every state hates the state next door more than any other. new england wil be locked in an eternal civil war of massachusetts vs. everyone else nearby from day one of the breakup
March 7, 2025 at 4:23 AM
Hell yeah NJ
Reposted by Paul Oswald
It would be helpful if more people understood renewable energy is actually an extremely disruptive technology and the reason monied interests are trying to make folks hate it is that they are the ones which will be disrupted.
March 5, 2025 at 6:09 PM
It would be helpful if more people understood renewable energy is actually an extremely disruptive technology and the reason monied interests are trying to make folks hate it is that they are the ones which will be disrupted.
Reposted by Paul Oswald
18F was doing exactly the type of work that DOGE claims to want – yet we were eliminated shortly after midnight. Read our letter to the American people:
18f.org
18f.org
We're not done yet | 18F
18f.org
March 1, 2025 at 11:38 PM
18F was doing exactly the type of work that DOGE claims to want – yet we were eliminated shortly after midnight. Read our letter to the American people:
18f.org
18f.org
It is pretty understandable why Democratic politicians are still tweeting on twitter, as that's still a platform with a large and influential audience. What I don't get is why they don't follow this policy:
1.) post to Bluesky, Mastodon, etc...
2.) wait 30 minutes
3.) post it to X
#bluesky
1.) post to Bluesky, Mastodon, etc...
2.) wait 30 minutes
3.) post it to X
#bluesky
February 15, 2025 at 11:19 AM
It is pretty understandable why Democratic politicians are still tweeting on twitter, as that's still a platform with a large and influential audience. What I don't get is why they don't follow this policy:
1.) post to Bluesky, Mastodon, etc...
2.) wait 30 minutes
3.) post it to X
#bluesky
1.) post to Bluesky, Mastodon, etc...
2.) wait 30 minutes
3.) post it to X
#bluesky