Andrew Certain
@tacertain.bsky.social
Former VP/Distinguished Engineer in AWS. Currently doing a few consulting/advisor engagements. He/his
https://blog.tacertain.com/ for musings
https://blog.tacertain.com/services/ for consulting services
https://blog.tacertain.com/ for musings
https://blog.tacertain.com/services/ for consulting services
Sat eve Quantum Fiber told me they know my service is out and they're working hard to restore. Every 12h I get an email saying it's taking longer than expected to fix and they're sorry. Should I be impressed by their proactive communication or concerned by the fact that my Internet is fine?
March 24, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Sat eve Quantum Fiber told me they know my service is out and they're working hard to restore. Every 12h I get an email saying it's taking longer than expected to fix and they're sorry. Should I be impressed by their proactive communication or concerned by the fact that my Internet is fine?
Reposted by Andrew Certain
“This is one reason why conservatives (and fellow travelers like Arnade) hate liberalism so much: free choice disproves their biological essentialism.”
Most Men Don't Want To Be Heroes (And That's Okay)
Despite the self-pity of some, there has never been a better time to be a man.
www.liberalcurrents.com
March 17, 2025 at 12:51 PM
“This is one reason why conservatives (and fellow travelers like Arnade) hate liberalism so much: free choice disproves their biological essentialism.”
I got a fund raising email from the DNC today. When I clicked "unsubscribe" they asked me to share why I was leaving. So I pasted in a link to this.
The problem with Democratic Party is that no one takes them seriously because they don’t take themselves seriously.
You can’t simultaneously argue Trump is a fascist intent on destroying democracy but your major response is to wear a pink suit to a speech, and expect to be taken seriously.
You can’t simultaneously argue Trump is a fascist intent on destroying democracy but your major response is to wear a pink suit to a speech, and expect to be taken seriously.
March 6, 2025 at 6:07 AM
I got a fund raising email from the DNC today. When I clicked "unsubscribe" they asked me to share why I was leaving. So I pasted in a link to this.
If you gave me the choice between
4 Bond movies are picked at random and I choose one to watch; or
1 Mission Impossible movie is selected at random and I have to watch it,
I'm taking MI every time. Same if it's Bourne. Not Star Wars, but if you let me pick from two, I'll take my chances with SW
4 Bond movies are picked at random and I choose one to watch; or
1 Mission Impossible movie is selected at random and I have to watch it,
I'm taking MI every time. Same if it's Bourne. Not Star Wars, but if you let me pick from two, I'll take my chances with SW
one of my favorite running storylines in culture is that people treat JAMES BOND as a franchise full of classic, beloved movies that has only recently lost its way, when the reality is that literally almost every single movie in the history of the franchise sucks.
February 27, 2025 at 3:15 AM
If you gave me the choice between
4 Bond movies are picked at random and I choose one to watch; or
1 Mission Impossible movie is selected at random and I have to watch it,
I'm taking MI every time. Same if it's Bourne. Not Star Wars, but if you let me pick from two, I'll take my chances with SW
4 Bond movies are picked at random and I choose one to watch; or
1 Mission Impossible movie is selected at random and I have to watch it,
I'm taking MI every time. Same if it's Bourne. Not Star Wars, but if you let me pick from two, I'll take my chances with SW
I have my app timer for Bluesky set at 30 minutes per day. I think that is too much to maintain my mental health
February 17, 2025 at 6:32 PM
I have my app timer for Bluesky set at 30 minutes per day. I think that is too much to maintain my mental health
Reposted by Andrew Certain
The idea that there should be a public debate about the appropriate medical care for a minuscule population of children remains one of the most absurd lies that these liberal transphobes, NYT edit board included, tell themselves. No there shouldn’t! It’s not an appropriate matter for public debate!
February 9, 2025 at 4:16 PM
The idea that there should be a public debate about the appropriate medical care for a minuscule population of children remains one of the most absurd lies that these liberal transphobes, NYT edit board included, tell themselves. No there shouldn’t! It’s not an appropriate matter for public debate!
Reposted by Andrew Certain
As our good Jamaican-American Black ancestor Claude McKay wrote during the Red Summer of 1919... "if we must die, let us nobly die..."
www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44694/...
www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44694/...
February 5, 2025 at 11:14 PM
As our good Jamaican-American Black ancestor Claude McKay wrote during the Red Summer of 1919... "if we must die, let us nobly die..."
www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44694/...
www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44694/...
I agree with this whole thread - the options, the yearning, the assessment of likelihood. It's very sad
So here’s how I see things in broad strokes. There are kind of three divergent roads from here.
1) Our institutions hold, more or less. We limp forward and make it to the midterms and beyond. Elections happen and are free enough and fair enough that we can reverse things.
1) Our institutions hold, more or less. We limp forward and make it to the midterms and beyond. Elections happen and are free enough and fair enough that we can reverse things.
February 6, 2025 at 2:44 AM
I agree with this whole thread - the options, the yearning, the assessment of likelihood. It's very sad
Reposted by Andrew Certain
Having watched with growing alarm the developments of the last 24 and 36 hours in Washington, I thought I’d take a stab at how the US media would cover this story if it was happening in a foreign country. Here’s that story that should be written this weekend: www.doomsdayscenario.co/p/musk-s-jun...
Musk's Junta Establishes Him as Head of Government
Imagining how we'd cover overseas what's happening to the U.S. right now
www.doomsdayscenario.co
February 1, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Having watched with growing alarm the developments of the last 24 and 36 hours in Washington, I thought I’d take a stab at how the US media would cover this story if it was happening in a foreign country. Here’s that story that should be written this weekend: www.doomsdayscenario.co/p/musk-s-jun...
Reposted by Andrew Certain
Today is my birthday.
My only wish is for you to repost and share *everywhere* the official trailer of my feature length documentary film DRY BONES.
drybonesfilm.com
Thank you 🫶🏾
youtu.be/v4uNleUXvu0?...
My only wish is for you to repost and share *everywhere* the official trailer of my feature length documentary film DRY BONES.
drybonesfilm.com
Thank you 🫶🏾
youtu.be/v4uNleUXvu0?...
DRY BONES Trailer 2025
YouTube video by MEDIA MAKE CHANGE
youtu.be
February 1, 2025 at 5:22 AM
Today is my birthday.
My only wish is for you to repost and share *everywhere* the official trailer of my feature length documentary film DRY BONES.
drybonesfilm.com
Thank you 🫶🏾
youtu.be/v4uNleUXvu0?...
My only wish is for you to repost and share *everywhere* the official trailer of my feature length documentary film DRY BONES.
drybonesfilm.com
Thank you 🫶🏾
youtu.be/v4uNleUXvu0?...
Reposted by Andrew Certain
@murray.senate.gov When are you going to stand up for Trans neighbors? You have remained silent as a vulnerable community is attacked. Shame!
January 29, 2025 at 11:22 PM
@murray.senate.gov When are you going to stand up for Trans neighbors? You have remained silent as a vulnerable community is attacked. Shame!
Reposted by Andrew Certain
I found Musa through his football (European) journalism, but a big bonus to following him here has been learning more about what’s happening with the far right in Germany. The piece he linked asks some very interesting questions.
The essay, at its end, gives some suggestions about what can be done not only to resist but move beyond fascism. Please do have a read if you have a moment, and please share if of interest.
I wrote this essay in October 2023 on the rise of fascism in Germany. www.zeit.de/kultur/2023-... Two nights ago I walked past two new and huge far-right election adverts, metres from where I had witnessed a potentially fatal attack. Two years ago it would have been unthinkable to see them there.
January 29, 2025 at 6:55 PM
I found Musa through his football (European) journalism, but a big bonus to following him here has been learning more about what’s happening with the far right in Germany. The piece he linked asks some very interesting questions.
Common misconception. The name is actually from "kra beater," kra being the Czech word for ice floe. During mating season the male seals pound the ice to compete for female attention.
If you ever worry about being bad at your job, someone named this animal, which does not eat crabs, the “crabeater seal.”
ocean.si.edu/ocean-life/m...
ocean.si.edu/ocean-life/m...
January 28, 2025 at 7:27 AM
Common misconception. The name is actually from "kra beater," kra being the Czech word for ice floe. During mating season the male seals pound the ice to compete for female attention.
Reposted by Andrew Certain
Reminder to those who need it:
1. You can mute the name of the current president and/or anyone else you don't want to constantly hear about here
2. You can mute/block/unfollow accounts that impinge on your calm
3. Social media doesn't have to be a doom scroll, curate your feed to make you happy
1. You can mute the name of the current president and/or anyone else you don't want to constantly hear about here
2. You can mute/block/unfollow accounts that impinge on your calm
3. Social media doesn't have to be a doom scroll, curate your feed to make you happy
January 21, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Reminder to those who need it:
1. You can mute the name of the current president and/or anyone else you don't want to constantly hear about here
2. You can mute/block/unfollow accounts that impinge on your calm
3. Social media doesn't have to be a doom scroll, curate your feed to make you happy
1. You can mute the name of the current president and/or anyone else you don't want to constantly hear about here
2. You can mute/block/unfollow accounts that impinge on your calm
3. Social media doesn't have to be a doom scroll, curate your feed to make you happy
Reposted by Andrew Certain
been reading a lot of comments today about how people find man pages hard to read and it made me mad (why do they have to be so hard!)
so I'm giving away 300 copies of Bite Size Command Line to folks for whom $12 is a lot of money! (with code BUYONEGIVEONE)
wizardzines.com/zines/bite-s...
so I'm giving away 300 copies of Bite Size Command Line to folks for whom $12 is a lot of money! (with code BUYONEGIVEONE)
wizardzines.com/zines/bite-s...
January 21, 2025 at 4:31 PM
been reading a lot of comments today about how people find man pages hard to read and it made me mad (why do they have to be so hard!)
so I'm giving away 300 copies of Bite Size Command Line to folks for whom $12 is a lot of money! (with code BUYONEGIVEONE)
wizardzines.com/zines/bite-s...
so I'm giving away 300 copies of Bite Size Command Line to folks for whom $12 is a lot of money! (with code BUYONEGIVEONE)
wizardzines.com/zines/bite-s...
I don't find it that much of a pain. And I think setting the expectation that all images (especially freaking text screen shots) have alt text is perfectly reasonable
As a blind dude, your images mean nothing to me without an alt-text description. I know it’s a pain & I have zero expectations of you using this #Accessibility tool so thoughtfully provided by #BlueSky but I appreciate every effort. It doesn’t have to be The Great Gatsby but please include me 😎
January 17, 2025 at 8:30 PM
I don't find it that much of a pain. And I think setting the expectation that all images (especially freaking text screen shots) have alt text is perfectly reasonable
My goodness are the Kraken a tough team to support
January 12, 2025 at 9:13 PM
My goodness are the Kraken a tough team to support
In 1990 a friend's mom owned a commercial office supply business. She told me she knew she was going to have to close when Walmart started selling paper at retail for less than she could get it at wholesale. Customers got cheaper paper, but she and her employees were replaced by low-paying jobs.
"Walmart makes the places it operates in poorer than they would be if it had never shown up at all. Sometimes consumer prices are an incomplete, even misleading, signal of economic well-being."
Fascinating studies on the broader effects of Walmart:
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
Fascinating studies on the broader effects of Walmart:
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
The Walmart Effect
New research suggests that the company makes the communities it operates in poorer—even taking into account its famous low prices.
www.theatlantic.com
January 12, 2025 at 9:11 PM
In 1990 a friend's mom owned a commercial office supply business. She told me she knew she was going to have to close when Walmart started selling paper at retail for less than she could get it at wholesale. Customers got cheaper paper, but she and her employees were replaced by low-paying jobs.
Reposted by Andrew Certain
"the thing video games taught me is that if i am encountering resistance, i am going the right way"
January 12, 2025 at 12:58 AM
"the thing video games taught me is that if i am encountering resistance, i am going the right way"
Reposted by Andrew Certain
Ok Seattle peeps, I need help! Hundo is wonderful but he has anxiety or something and can't be left alone in the house because he destroys things. Does anyone have a trainer here in town who they trust?
January 11, 2025 at 7:14 PM
Ok Seattle peeps, I need help! Hundo is wonderful but he has anxiety or something and can't be left alone in the house because he destroys things. Does anyone have a trainer here in town who they trust?
Some of the only really good news so far this year.
I refuse to shut up about this: NYC started charging $9 to bring a car into our most transit-rich zone, the haters & trolls predicted doom, but traffic evaporated instantly and here’s Times Square tonite (even after the holiday tourists have left). For a better future, build transit & price driving!
January 11, 2025 at 5:22 AM
Some of the only really good news so far this year.
UNC's first six "in conference" games this year.
January 9, 2025 at 1:29 AM
UNC's first six "in conference" games this year.