This happens with*everything* now. No matter how grave the crime or one-dimensional the injustice, after four days the hivemind of American punditry decides that the Real Story is how the people upset about it are the real villains.

As ever, Private Eye sees through the way the usual-suspect media are happy to swallow wholesale and then amplify the BS from Tufton St lobbyists when it comes to net-zero And, as ever, @drsimevans.carbonbrief.org made all these points the moment the coverage landed

Imagine running a higher education system/country so badly that you actually can't afford, or refuse to fund, research that is *literally defined as* "internationally excellent". Stupid, stupid, stupid country.

i'm fascinated by how much people love and are amazed by chat gpt saying "nice catch!" and "great observation!" because i personally find the condescension and obsequiousness the most skin-crawling thing about how LLMs "talk"

I had a great conversation about this phenomenon with some sociologists at ASA once. A colleague took me to task for failing to see how they KNOW the reference. They aren’t misreading literary references — they are wielding them to demonstrate their power to shape our ethics.

There’s an enormous amount of stuff in this book I’d like to highlight, but start with: “What emerges as the most elementary insight is that, since we do not now have any ways of making computers wise, we ought not now to give computers tasks that demand wisdom.”

Amsterdam—View from the Window by Vasily Kandinsky, 1904 #artbots #guggenheim https://botfrens.com/collections/212/contents/137882

AI trash is everywhere, and that’s in part because social media platforms have made it profitable for people churning out AI-generated videos and photos that try to grab your attention. Great to have @jasonkoebler.bsky.social back on the show to understand what’s going on.

A two-part object lesson in how performative authoritarianism done by the left is never enough for the right.

"Moderate democrats worried effective politics will save the party from extinction" incredible stuff going on today friends

Le Tour de France 2027 s’élancera d’Edimbourg, pour un début de parcours inédit au Royaume-Uni

my god, it's full of computer

Happy Miette Day, to all who celebrate.

One of our specialist subjects. (With thanks to @municipaldreams.bsky.social for hosting our thoughts on this.) municipaldreams.wordpress.com/2017/10/03/c...

*Werner Herzog voice* now, the Jingle Hop has begun

“Your slipper, sir.” “Where is the other one, Alfred?” “I’m afraid there’s been a mishap, sir.”

This is what's worse about our Gilded Age. Robber Barons actually had to work. Obviously, what Elon's ultimately against is democracy. Literally, no human on earth has benefited more from government spending. He just doesn't like the idea of government serving up anyone but him.

Just filled this in. by which I mean I wrote the same answer in each box. "Total copyright protection. It's not hard." Please join me if you're not a thief.

King of Hyrule Wishes Ganondorf Well, Promises Peaceful Transfer of Power hard-drive.net/hd/video-gam...

Every time I hear one of the Labour frontbench say anything I can’t help but also hear future Adam Curtis saying “but this wasn’t true...”

Torching one of the last viable industries in the UK to be racist and also "save money". Real 4D chess stuff here from the grownups who are back in charge.

10% off and free shipping on all of my art this weekend, just add the checkout code: bluesky wefail.art

You couldn't make Blazing Saddles today. You have never made a film before and it would take a long time to figure out.

Incredible duo—tune in folks!!

As I and others like to say, if your transportation plan relies on "Cyclists can just..." it's not a plan.

Elon Musk is doubling down on his Mars colonization vision. Instead of questioning its viability, the NYT engaged in some more SpaceX stenography. More in the Disconnect roundup, along with recommended reads and other tech news from the past week.

GOOD MORNING! News, nuggets and longreads is up, with some great balanced, nosy, inquisitive writing from @morrighani.bsky.social and @willhawkes.bsky.social, among others. 🍺🍻

I’ve been looking forward to talking about BYD on the show for a while. @paologerbaudo.bsky.social was the perfect guest for it. We dig into BYD’s vertically integrated production model and how the US campaign against Chinese automakers looks a lot like what it did with Japan in the 1980s.

It’s always great to chat with @niedermeyer.io, but this one’s essential. We not only dig into what’s been going on with Tesla recently, but structural factors in the auto industry that explain why it did so well in the past few years and why that success was so fleeting.

improved it

Le studio Ghibli recevra une Palme d’or d’honneur à Cannes

White Cross by Vasily Kandinsky, 1922 https://botfrens.com/collections/212/contents/137162

The Rock Needle Seen through the Porte d'Aumont, 1885 https://botfrens.com/collections/41/contents/10100

We did an episode in 2020 with University of Chicago researcher Ari Weil on the disturbing trend of drivers using their cars as weapons against protestors. Seeing this call to violence come from a sitting U.S. Senator is a major escalation. thewaroncars.org/2020/08/03/v...

Alexander Calder, Elephant Chair with Lamp, 1928 https://botfrens.com/collections/14377/contents/1136801

New study shows that farmhouse yeast from Norway, Latvia, and Lithuania forms one big family of yeast titled European farmhouse yeast. Farmhouse yeast, it turns out, is a separate type of yeast. Big implications for the history of beer, too. www.garshol.priv.no/blog/436.html

Look at the picture with the designer for scale. Imagine the ergonomics of interacting with this "taxi." Absolute clown shit.

"One day, robots will do surgeries. We'll have to make sure we get it right. Until then, we've attached a circular saw to a Lego Technic toy and let it 'practice' on random citizens on the street."

Very thought provoking. Twitter was the one place for everything, and then it died and we went to many places. Now that AI is determined to kill the Internet, will many new networks emerge from its ashes?

BLOG POST: Some thoughts on underage drinkers in pubs, as part of our ongoing pondering about the state of UK beer culture. 🍺🍻 boakandbailey.com/2024/03/the-...

it's not often i say holy shit in response to a musk company thing these days but wow

"[it's estimated] the fuel duty freeze, which has been in place since it was introduced as a temporary measure in 2011, and the 5p cut to fuel duty, have cost the Treasury £100bn since 2011." https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/mar/06/uk-fuel-duty-cut-regressive-policy-benefits-wealthy-study

The record in question: niedermeyer.io/2024/02/02/i...

Gene Davis, Anthracite Minuet, 1966 https://botfrens.com/collections/14377/contents/1134797

classic Elon "Tesla appeared to mostly fix this problem with its 'cabin overheat protection' feature (which it sold as being to protect dogs and children, despite the fact that it held the temperature at +40C which is about the temperature where a child's organs will start shutting down)"

Every study ever: Overworked employees are less productive. Employees who work from home are just as productive as employees who work in the office. The evidence is indisputable. Managers: I see. But I have a hunch that the complete opposite is true.