Randomly Rusted
@random-rust.bsky.social
Australian. Alas, no cat!
I often mention Oz's voting system on BlueSky. Compulsory turn-up-at-a-polling-place and the fiercely independent Australian Electoral Comission that is central to how it works.
Maybe others wondering about their own systems should think about change.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
Maybe others wondering about their own systems should think about change.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
November 9, 2025 at 9:31 AM
I often mention Oz's voting system on BlueSky. Compulsory turn-up-at-a-polling-place and the fiercely independent Australian Electoral Comission that is central to how it works.
Maybe others wondering about their own systems should think about change.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
Maybe others wondering about their own systems should think about change.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
@davidgerard.co.uk a lovely list of times AI got it wrong.
www.askamanager.org/2025/10/ai-g...
"[..]transcribed a side conversation about my water bottle we had while waiting[..] then assumed the entire meeting, which was actually about software design, was about the water bottle"
www.askamanager.org/2025/10/ai-g...
"[..]transcribed a side conversation about my water bottle we had while waiting[..] then assumed the entire meeting, which was actually about software design, was about the water bottle"
October 30, 2025 at 9:02 PM
@davidgerard.co.uk a lovely list of times AI got it wrong.
www.askamanager.org/2025/10/ai-g...
"[..]transcribed a side conversation about my water bottle we had while waiting[..] then assumed the entire meeting, which was actually about software design, was about the water bottle"
www.askamanager.org/2025/10/ai-g...
"[..]transcribed a side conversation about my water bottle we had while waiting[..] then assumed the entire meeting, which was actually about software design, was about the water bottle"
@davidgerard.co.uk I just got email from ServiceNSW offering AI training!
Want the links? Rather you investigate than me!
Want the links? Rather you investigate than me!
October 24, 2025 at 12:36 AM
@davidgerard.co.uk I just got email from ServiceNSW offering AI training!
Want the links? Rather you investigate than me!
Want the links? Rather you investigate than me!
@davidgerard.co.uk a paper saying LLM hiring bots prefer resumes they wrote over human and other LLM.
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
Methodology a tad sus as it concentrates on "executive summary" (never heard of that in a resume) and does rather handwave "quality" controls.
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
Methodology a tad sus as it concentrates on "executive summary" (never heard of that in a resume) and does rather handwave "quality" controls.
October 3, 2025 at 8:13 PM
@davidgerard.co.uk a paper saying LLM hiring bots prefer resumes they wrote over human and other LLM.
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
Methodology a tad sus as it concentrates on "executive summary" (never heard of that in a resume) and does rather handwave "quality" controls.
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
Methodology a tad sus as it concentrates on "executive summary" (never heard of that in a resume) and does rather handwave "quality" controls.
Reposted by Randomly Rusted
Every time I see someone saying "WILL" in my mentions I know that Will Frank did a pun. Every single time.
September 25, 2025 at 12:28 AM
Every time I see someone saying "WILL" in my mentions I know that Will Frank did a pun. Every single time.
@davidgerard.co.uk another HBR for you. Talking about "workslop": low quality AI product at work forcing recipient to do extra to cope.
"Employees who have encountered workslop estimate that an average of 15.4% of the content they receive at work qualifies."
hbr.org/2025/09/ai-g...
"Employees who have encountered workslop estimate that an average of 15.4% of the content they receive at work qualifies."
hbr.org/2025/09/ai-g...
September 23, 2025 at 6:09 AM
@davidgerard.co.uk another HBR for you. Talking about "workslop": low quality AI product at work forcing recipient to do extra to cope.
"Employees who have encountered workslop estimate that an average of 15.4% of the content they receive at work qualifies."
hbr.org/2025/09/ai-g...
"Employees who have encountered workslop estimate that an average of 15.4% of the content they receive at work qualifies."
hbr.org/2025/09/ai-g...
@davidgerard.co.uk another one: Merge IT and HR cos AI does the HR stuff.
Luckily the people they actually talked to said "that's not how it works". Bit one did say the IT guy should be in charge cos HR can't learn AI but IT can do HR. Cos AI does legal stuff so well...
hbr.org/2025/09/shou...
Luckily the people they actually talked to said "that's not how it works". Bit one did say the IT guy should be in charge cos HR can't learn AI but IT can do HR. Cos AI does legal stuff so well...
hbr.org/2025/09/shou...
September 15, 2025 at 8:11 PM
@davidgerard.co.uk another one: Merge IT and HR cos AI does the HR stuff.
Luckily the people they actually talked to said "that's not how it works". Bit one did say the IT guy should be in charge cos HR can't learn AI but IT can do HR. Cos AI does legal stuff so well...
hbr.org/2025/09/shou...
Luckily the people they actually talked to said "that's not how it works". Bit one did say the IT guy should be in charge cos HR can't learn AI but IT can do HR. Cos AI does legal stuff so well...
hbr.org/2025/09/shou...
@davidgerard.co.uk one for your collection
aparnacd.substack.com/p/most-work-...
Where LLMs replace middle management, translating the CEO's requirements to the peons.
Presumably they also do the management bit so tell the peons how well they are doing. What, as they say, could possibly....
aparnacd.substack.com/p/most-work-...
Where LLMs replace middle management, translating the CEO's requirements to the peons.
Presumably they also do the management bit so tell the peons how well they are doing. What, as they say, could possibly....
September 15, 2025 at 8:03 PM
@davidgerard.co.uk one for your collection
aparnacd.substack.com/p/most-work-...
Where LLMs replace middle management, translating the CEO's requirements to the peons.
Presumably they also do the management bit so tell the peons how well they are doing. What, as they say, could possibly....
aparnacd.substack.com/p/most-work-...
Where LLMs replace middle management, translating the CEO's requirements to the peons.
Presumably they also do the management bit so tell the peons how well they are doing. What, as they say, could possibly....
@davidgerard.co.uk Comm bank finds that AI doesn't allow you to cut jobs
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08...
Union says calls that needed humans spiked, Comm Bank says "should have been more thorough in our assessment"
Which seems to be an admission the thing didn't work.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08...
Union says calls that needed humans spiked, Comm Bank says "should have been more thorough in our assessment"
Which seems to be an admission the thing didn't work.
August 22, 2025 at 4:47 AM
@davidgerard.co.uk Comm bank finds that AI doesn't allow you to cut jobs
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08...
Union says calls that needed humans spiked, Comm Bank says "should have been more thorough in our assessment"
Which seems to be an admission the thing didn't work.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08...
Union says calls that needed humans spiked, Comm Bank says "should have been more thorough in our assessment"
Which seems to be an admission the thing didn't work.
@davidgerard.co.uk I don't think I've seen you cover this one yet? hbr.org/2025/08/rese...
where women and senior devs didn't use it for fear of being judged incompetent for using it?
where women and senior devs didn't use it for fear of being judged incompetent for using it?
Research: The Hidden Penalty of Using AI at Work
Researchers conducted an experiment with 1,026 engineers in which participants evaluated a Python code snippet that was purportedly written by another engineer, either with or without AI assistance. T...
hbr.org
August 2, 2025 at 8:16 AM
@davidgerard.co.uk I don't think I've seen you cover this one yet? hbr.org/2025/08/rese...
where women and senior devs didn't use it for fear of being judged incompetent for using it?
where women and senior devs didn't use it for fear of being judged incompetent for using it?
@railmaps.com.au do you know the dates of the new XPT trains? Tried to book a sleeper to Melb on various dates in Aug/Sep/Oct and nothing offered. Started this test in Feb.
So either people are camping on the site to book or the new ones are coming in a couple of months?
So either people are camping on the site to book or the new ones are coming in a couple of months?
June 15, 2025 at 12:00 AM
@railmaps.com.au do you know the dates of the new XPT trains? Tried to book a sleeper to Melb on various dates in Aug/Sep/Oct and nothing offered. Started this test in Feb.
So either people are camping on the site to book or the new ones are coming in a couple of months?
So either people are camping on the site to book or the new ones are coming in a couple of months?
Given a Certain Person was elected to the office of President by all the people who didn't vote, many admire Oz's "compulsory voting". It wouldn't work without the fiercely independent Electoral Commission.
Who do all they can to be impartial
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Who do all they can to be impartial
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Blindfolds and wooden balls: Australia fires up its extremely analog election machinery
It can matter which order candidates appear on the ballot paper. That’s why the Australian Electoral Commission takes a very old-fashioned view of its random act of democracy
www.theguardian.com
April 11, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Given a Certain Person was elected to the office of President by all the people who didn't vote, many admire Oz's "compulsory voting". It wouldn't work without the fiercely independent Electoral Commission.
Who do all they can to be impartial
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Who do all they can to be impartial
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Buying a house in #australia is hard. Is one reason the current mortage situation? www.nber.org/papers/w33446 suggests that low downpayment long term fixed interest mortgages were one driver of the baby boom.
Probably useful only in a lower interest environment.
Probably useful only in a lower interest environment.
February 11, 2025 at 7:54 PM
Buying a house in #australia is hard. Is one reason the current mortage situation? www.nber.org/papers/w33446 suggests that low downpayment long term fixed interest mortgages were one driver of the baby boom.
Probably useful only in a lower interest environment.
Probably useful only in a lower interest environment.
I keep seeing people saying Trump can't enter Australia because he's a convicted felon.
Alas ain't true. The character test says "you have a substantial criminal record" which he does not.
Dunno the GOP counts as a criminal organisation yet either.
immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-support...
Alas ain't true. The character test says "you have a substantial criminal record" which he does not.
Dunno the GOP counts as a criminal organisation yet either.
immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-support...
immi.homeaffairs.gov.au
January 11, 2025 at 5:45 AM
I keep seeing people saying Trump can't enter Australia because he's a convicted felon.
Alas ain't true. The character test says "you have a substantial criminal record" which he does not.
Dunno the GOP counts as a criminal organisation yet either.
immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-support...
Alas ain't true. The character test says "you have a substantial criminal record" which he does not.
Dunno the GOP counts as a criminal organisation yet either.
immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-support...
Reposted by Randomly Rusted
I wonder how many people have had union experience. I have been a member of 2: the Shoppies who were useless and the Municipal Workers who were brilliant.
My council employer was trying to screw us, and the lone union member said "join!" We did and they took on the Council and slew them. [1/]
My council employer was trying to screw us, and the lone union member said "join!" We did and they took on the Council and slew them. [1/]
November 30, 2024 at 5:18 AM
I wonder how many people have had union experience. I have been a member of 2: the Shoppies who were useless and the Municipal Workers who were brilliant.
My council employer was trying to screw us, and the lone union member said "join!" We did and they took on the Council and slew them. [1/]
My council employer was trying to screw us, and the lone union member said "join!" We did and they took on the Council and slew them. [1/]
madamspeaker.org.au is a collection of speeches by Australian women from before Federation to now. Hard hitting and unknown because who reports on what women say?
(note - I don't have a screen reader but the home page doesn't look reader friendly)
(note - I don't have a screen reader but the home page doesn't look reader friendly)
Let’s reshape the idea of leadership and authority. - Madam Speaker
What does the voice of power and authority sound like in your head?
madamspeaker.org.au
November 20, 2024 at 1:44 AM
madamspeaker.org.au is a collection of speeches by Australian women from before Federation to now. Hard hitting and unknown because who reports on what women say?
(note - I don't have a screen reader but the home page doesn't look reader friendly)
(note - I don't have a screen reader but the home page doesn't look reader friendly)
Cash transfers to low income are usually said to be good. This study says no, but the amount was $20/month. The study doesn't say it was done in the 3rd world so I presume the USA.
So is $20 a month in any way a useful amount in the USA?
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
So is $20 a month in any way a useful amount in the USA?
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
Can Cash Transfers Improve Maternal Well-being and Family Processes among Families with Young Children? An Experimental Analysis
Objective: The goal of this study is to examine the causal impacts of an unconditional cash transfer on a range of key family processes that are thought to affe
papers.ssrn.com
October 31, 2024 at 8:39 PM
Cash transfers to low income are usually said to be good. This study says no, but the amount was $20/month. The study doesn't say it was done in the 3rd world so I presume the USA.
So is $20 a month in any way a useful amount in the USA?
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
So is $20 a month in any way a useful amount in the USA?
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
Reposted by Randomly Rusted
Reposted by Randomly Rusted
@davidgerard.co.uk another one for your list
hechingerreport.org/kids-chatgpt...
Kids who used ChagGPT did badly, kids who used a "tutor" version that didn't just give answers also did badly. Mainly cos "the step-by-step approach for how to solve a problem was wrong 42 percent of the time."
hechingerreport.org/kids-chatgpt...
Kids who used ChagGPT did badly, kids who used a "tutor" version that didn't just give answers also did badly. Mainly cos "the step-by-step approach for how to solve a problem was wrong 42 percent of the time."
Kids who use ChatGPT as a study assistant do worse on tests
Researchers compare math progress of almost 1,000 high school students
hechingerreport.org
September 9, 2024 at 1:37 AM
@davidgerard.co.uk another one for your list
hechingerreport.org/kids-chatgpt...
Kids who used ChagGPT did badly, kids who used a "tutor" version that didn't just give answers also did badly. Mainly cos "the step-by-step approach for how to solve a problem was wrong 42 percent of the time."
hechingerreport.org/kids-chatgpt...
Kids who used ChagGPT did badly, kids who used a "tutor" version that didn't just give answers also did badly. Mainly cos "the step-by-step approach for how to solve a problem was wrong 42 percent of the time."
Here's another one for your list @davidgerard.co.uk - Chatbot regurgitates live court case for sexual harassment training in the place the case is about. CoPilot this time.
www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08...
www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08...
Warning AI 'hallucinates' and 'can't be relied on' after chatbot uses real information for 'fictional scenario'
A training provider says it believed the sexual harassment case study it used in a course delivered to Bunbury prison staff was fictional. In fact, it included the name and details of a former employe...
www.abc.net.au
August 20, 2024 at 10:09 PM
Here's another one for your list @davidgerard.co.uk - Chatbot regurgitates live court case for sexual harassment training in the place the case is about. CoPilot this time.
www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08...
www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08...
lovely article from the ABC about a dancer with Down's Syndrome. She definitely doesn't let it stop her
www.abc.net.au/news/2024-05...
What struck me though was the picture or her with an award she won live-production.wcms.abc-cdn.net.au/4f1aeda92510...
you never see pics of dancers like that.
www.abc.net.au/news/2024-05...
What struck me though was the picture or her with an award she won live-production.wcms.abc-cdn.net.au/4f1aeda92510...
you never see pics of dancers like that.
Jianna feels powerful when she dances — whether at home, a festival or on the international stage
For 17 years Jianna Georgiou has been a professional dancer with leading Australian company Restless Dance Theatre, comprised of dancers with and without disabilities.
www.abc.net.au
May 31, 2024 at 9:04 AM
lovely article from the ABC about a dancer with Down's Syndrome. She definitely doesn't let it stop her
www.abc.net.au/news/2024-05...
What struck me though was the picture or her with an award she won live-production.wcms.abc-cdn.net.au/4f1aeda92510...
you never see pics of dancers like that.
www.abc.net.au/news/2024-05...
What struck me though was the picture or her with an award she won live-production.wcms.abc-cdn.net.au/4f1aeda92510...
you never see pics of dancers like that.
www.abc.net.au/news/2024-03...
"I don't know any authors who [have] actually stolen a manuscript while a body was still warm."
I have questions....
"I don't know any authors who [have] actually stolen a manuscript while a body was still warm."
I have questions....
March 7, 2024 at 5:52 AM
www.abc.net.au/news/2024-03...
"I don't know any authors who [have] actually stolen a manuscript while a body was still warm."
I have questions....
"I don't know any authors who [have] actually stolen a manuscript while a body was still warm."
I have questions....
It is Friday. I drink alcohol on Fridays. This leads to sadness and wondering about Where I Went Wrong as I am not a happy drunk. I keep doing it which does make me wonder about habits.
I dunno you can stop a habitual thing, you need to replace it with something. But what is the habit giving me?
I dunno you can stop a habitual thing, you need to replace it with something. But what is the habit giving me?
March 1, 2024 at 5:57 AM
It is Friday. I drink alcohol on Fridays. This leads to sadness and wondering about Where I Went Wrong as I am not a happy drunk. I keep doing it which does make me wonder about habits.
I dunno you can stop a habitual thing, you need to replace it with something. But what is the habit giving me?
I dunno you can stop a habitual thing, you need to replace it with something. But what is the habit giving me?