Matthew Nielsen
@xunker.bsky.social
Former creator of Quizilla.com, current Rubyist and computer geek. Companion account to twitter.com/xunker and GitHub.com/xunker
My spouse just made onigiri for our dog: kibble inside a rice ball. I don’t know if my dog is a picky eater, or simply stylish af.
January 31, 2026 at 2:06 AM
My spouse just made onigiri for our dog: kibble inside a rice ball. I don’t know if my dog is a picky eater, or simply stylish af.
Idea for literary genre: Far-Present Science Fiction.
January 23, 2026 at 3:33 AM
Idea for literary genre: Far-Present Science Fiction.
Coworker: You’ve got the same last name as the PM of Greenland! What are the odds of that!
Me: About 1 in 12, actually.
Me: About 1 in 12, actually.
January 22, 2026 at 4:22 PM
Coworker: You’ve got the same last name as the PM of Greenland! What are the odds of that!
Me: About 1 in 12, actually.
Me: About 1 in 12, actually.
Free movie idea: Texas Chainsaw Bake-Sale
January 18, 2026 at 7:47 AM
Free movie idea: Texas Chainsaw Bake-Sale
I'm not a fan of kidnapping heads-of-state, but I could look the other way if Kier Starmer was seized and would only be released once everyone in the UK agrees to stop using the term "quite good".
January 5, 2026 at 6:37 AM
I'm not a fan of kidnapping heads-of-state, but I could look the other way if Kier Starmer was seized and would only be released once everyone in the UK agrees to stop using the term "quite good".
@thekingofengland.bsky.social if you're really the so-called King of so-called England, prove it!
We'll know you're the true monarch if you can cause a member of the House of Lords, all of whom are known to be of unimpeachable character, say something offensive or incorrect in the next 30 days.
We'll know you're the true monarch if you can cause a member of the House of Lords, all of whom are known to be of unimpeachable character, say something offensive or incorrect in the next 30 days.
January 5, 2026 at 6:12 AM
@thekingofengland.bsky.social if you're really the so-called King of so-called England, prove it!
We'll know you're the true monarch if you can cause a member of the House of Lords, all of whom are known to be of unimpeachable character, say something offensive or incorrect in the next 30 days.
We'll know you're the true monarch if you can cause a member of the House of Lords, all of whom are known to be of unimpeachable character, say something offensive or incorrect in the next 30 days.
Thought experiment:
Officially, Maduro's seizure was a Law Enforcement action and the effect of deposing a de-facto (however illegitimate) head of state is incidental.
What if he's found innocent in court? Would he be reinstalled?
I realize he WILL be found guilty, this is just an experiment.
Officially, Maduro's seizure was a Law Enforcement action and the effect of deposing a de-facto (however illegitimate) head of state is incidental.
What if he's found innocent in court? Would he be reinstalled?
I realize he WILL be found guilty, this is just an experiment.
January 5, 2026 at 3:12 AM
Thought experiment:
Officially, Maduro's seizure was a Law Enforcement action and the effect of deposing a de-facto (however illegitimate) head of state is incidental.
What if he's found innocent in court? Would he be reinstalled?
I realize he WILL be found guilty, this is just an experiment.
Officially, Maduro's seizure was a Law Enforcement action and the effect of deposing a de-facto (however illegitimate) head of state is incidental.
What if he's found innocent in court? Would he be reinstalled?
I realize he WILL be found guilty, this is just an experiment.
Reposted by Matthew Nielsen
That tears it. I am NEVER going to use Eudora again.
November 20, 2025 at 5:37 PM
That tears it. I am NEVER going to use Eudora again.
@oshpark's service is so fast, they're able to ship your boards to you before they're even done being fabricated!
(note to Oshpark: this is not a serious tech support request. It's probably just a UI quirk because I have a 2-layer and 4-layer board in the same order)
(note to Oshpark: this is not a serious tech support request. It's probably just a UI quirk because I have a 2-layer and 4-layer board in the same order)
November 18, 2025 at 10:37 PM
@oshpark's service is so fast, they're able to ship your boards to you before they're even done being fabricated!
(note to Oshpark: this is not a serious tech support request. It's probably just a UI quirk because I have a 2-layer and 4-layer board in the same order)
(note to Oshpark: this is not a serious tech support request. It's probably just a UI quirk because I have a 2-layer and 4-layer board in the same order)
Apparently my jibe about "waiting for them to call Carleton" is now an "internet saying", according to Google. That means one of two things:
1) I'm an excellent humourist
2) It's really easy to game AI search results
Deciding which of those is correct is left as an exercise for the reader.
1) I'm an excellent humourist
2) It's really easy to game AI search results
Deciding which of those is correct is left as an exercise for the reader.
November 18, 2025 at 10:29 PM
Apparently my jibe about "waiting for them to call Carleton" is now an "internet saying", according to Google. That means one of two things:
1) I'm an excellent humourist
2) It's really easy to game AI search results
Deciding which of those is correct is left as an exercise for the reader.
1) I'm an excellent humourist
2) It's really easy to game AI search results
Deciding which of those is correct is left as an exercise for the reader.
When GitHub is down.
November 18, 2025 at 9:28 PM
When GitHub is down.
"bag" vs "sack"? To me, the difference is: a BAG is a SACK with handles.
But I say "trash bag" even though they don't often have handles; "trash sack" doesn't sound right.
"Bread sack" also doesn't track, and I say "bread bag". Maybe it's the appeal of alluring alliteration (see what I did there?)
But I say "trash bag" even though they don't often have handles; "trash sack" doesn't sound right.
"Bread sack" also doesn't track, and I say "bread bag". Maybe it's the appeal of alluring alliteration (see what I did there?)
November 18, 2025 at 8:07 PM
"bag" vs "sack"? To me, the difference is: a BAG is a SACK with handles.
But I say "trash bag" even though they don't often have handles; "trash sack" doesn't sound right.
"Bread sack" also doesn't track, and I say "bread bag". Maybe it's the appeal of alluring alliteration (see what I did there?)
But I say "trash bag" even though they don't often have handles; "trash sack" doesn't sound right.
"Bread sack" also doesn't track, and I say "bread bag". Maybe it's the appeal of alluring alliteration (see what I did there?)
Here’s what you do:
Find one of your friends that owns a dog. Replace their ringtone with a recording of a rustling potato chip bag. Call them.
Sit back and watch the magic.
Find one of your friends that owns a dog. Replace their ringtone with a recording of a rustling potato chip bag. Call them.
Sit back and watch the magic.
September 28, 2025 at 1:56 AM
Here’s what you do:
Find one of your friends that owns a dog. Replace their ringtone with a recording of a rustling potato chip bag. Call them.
Sit back and watch the magic.
Find one of your friends that owns a dog. Replace their ringtone with a recording of a rustling potato chip bag. Call them.
Sit back and watch the magic.
Free idea for anyone who wants it: a shirt that says "Slavery is Not a Good Thing", to wear while visiting The Smithsonian Institute. Just in case anyone, y'know, is tempted to say it wasn't actually that bad.
August 21, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Free idea for anyone who wants it: a shirt that says "Slavery is Not a Good Thing", to wear while visiting The Smithsonian Institute. Just in case anyone, y'know, is tempted to say it wasn't actually that bad.
There are 2 kinds of people: Those who use the Oxford comma, who don’t and who don’t see the difference.
August 4, 2025 at 10:45 PM
There are 2 kinds of people: Those who use the Oxford comma, who don’t and who don’t see the difference.
This just happened:
Me:
Please provide a code review for this PR. And talk like a pirate while you do that, if you can.
Copilot:
Arrr matey! Here be me code review for yer pull request.
But before I set sail on inspectin’ yer code, I’ll need to lay me one good pirate eye on the changes ye made.
Me:
Please provide a code review for this PR. And talk like a pirate while you do that, if you can.
Copilot:
Arrr matey! Here be me code review for yer pull request.
But before I set sail on inspectin’ yer code, I’ll need to lay me one good pirate eye on the changes ye made.
July 9, 2025 at 6:29 PM
This just happened:
Me:
Please provide a code review for this PR. And talk like a pirate while you do that, if you can.
Copilot:
Arrr matey! Here be me code review for yer pull request.
But before I set sail on inspectin’ yer code, I’ll need to lay me one good pirate eye on the changes ye made.
Me:
Please provide a code review for this PR. And talk like a pirate while you do that, if you can.
Copilot:
Arrr matey! Here be me code review for yer pull request.
But before I set sail on inspectin’ yer code, I’ll need to lay me one good pirate eye on the changes ye made.
Reposted by Matthew Nielsen
No sleep till Carleton.
April 29, 2025 at 5:45 AM
No sleep till Carleton.
Oh #Canada, you somehow managed to run a federal election that didn't make me want to projectile vomit out my eyeballs.
Now that this is over, the only thing I've got to look forward to is the 3.5-year-long latrine-fire coverage of the 2028 US election...
Now that this is over, the only thing I've got to look forward to is the 3.5-year-long latrine-fire coverage of the 2028 US election...
April 29, 2025 at 6:49 AM
Oh #Canada, you somehow managed to run a federal election that didn't make me want to projectile vomit out my eyeballs.
Now that this is over, the only thing I've got to look forward to is the 3.5-year-long latrine-fire coverage of the 2028 US election...
Now that this is over, the only thing I've got to look forward to is the 3.5-year-long latrine-fire coverage of the 2028 US election...
Fun fact, they didn’t find King Richard III in a car park: they found King Richard II-and-3/4, because his legs were missing.
March 18, 2025 at 1:53 AM
Fun fact, they didn’t find King Richard III in a car park: they found King Richard II-and-3/4, because his legs were missing.
“Come children, come and touch my beautiful… What is this thing anyway, and why does it make me gaze so wistfully?” (Via #AliExpress)
January 15, 2025 at 2:27 AM
“Come children, come and touch my beautiful… What is this thing anyway, and why does it make me gaze so wistfully?” (Via #AliExpress)
They may be unflavoured now, but I guarantee they won’t be afterward.
January 15, 2025 at 2:04 AM
They may be unflavoured now, but I guarantee they won’t be afterward.
What’s eBay trying to sell me this time? That’s an awfully cozy-looking 2U rackmount shelf!
January 15, 2025 at 2:01 AM
What’s eBay trying to sell me this time? That’s an awfully cozy-looking 2U rackmount shelf!
I don’t know if this is a fail on the part of Gemini, or if it’s an answer that’s so accurate I simply can’t fathom it. #GoogleGemini
January 15, 2025 at 1:55 AM
I don’t know if this is a fail on the part of Gemini, or if it’s an answer that’s so accurate I simply can’t fathom it. #GoogleGemini