Alternate Histories
@alternatehistories.bsky.social
320 followers 120 following 430 posts
Because everything's better with monsters. Art, musings, and Pittsburgh stuff by Matt Buchholz. He/him. Studio at 517 Greenfield Ave, open Fri-Sat, 12-5pm.
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alternatehistories.bsky.social
Heads up: if you see my National Park Monsters calendar promoted on Facebook or Instagram and it’s not through my account - it’s probably counterfeit. More below.
A promoted ad on Facebook selling a counterfeit copy of Alternate Histories' "National Park Monsters Calendar" on a dubiously named website "Leaderiship"
alternatehistories.bsky.social
It reminds me of Kazuo Ishiguros' KLARA AND THE SUN which (spoilers ahead) is a kinder riposte to AI in general, positing that while science could potentially create human intelligence, what makes us human are our connections with other human beings, something machines cannot replicate, only observe
alternatehistories.bsky.social
A truly breathtaking piece from actor Betty Gilpin, written as a letter to AI "actress" Tilly Norwood, but actually a damning critique of AI as well as a full-throated celebration of acting, art, and human connection.
Dear Tilly Norwood: Some Blunt Advice, Actress to “Actress,” From Betty Gilpin
The Emmy-nominated actor and author pens an open letter to the AI avatar that's got Hollywood in a tizzy.
www.hollywoodreporter.com
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markharris.bsky.social
Miss Major Griffin-Gracy, a pioneering trans activist from the Stonewall era on and a woman who lived an extraordinary life, has died. She was one tough customer. I have always loved this quote from her and if you've ever tried to ascertain the truth about a moment in history, you may relate to it.
“If you ask me something I’m gonna tell you the truth, you know. And it has to do with my perception of things, not theirs or what someone else has said. They aren’t me. They weren’t in my skin at that time. They didn’t perceive anything that I perceived. And yeah, I’m older and yeah, memory adds stuff or takes away stuff. Well, that’s just what it fuckin’ does. I’m still here and fuck you.”
	--From New York City Trans Oral History Project Interview with Miss Major Griffin-Gracy, excerpted in The Stonewall Reader
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evilcleverdog.bsky.social
Using ChatGPT
edithcharles.bsky.social
What's something that isn't considered embarrassing but you think it should be?
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pahuski.com
Happy Columbo’s Day
Screenshot from Columbo. He his talking to his dog, which is sitting is the drivers seat of a car. “Okay, I’m gonna put you in charge. You take care of the car. You’re a responsible dog. When I get back, if the car’s okay, I’ll give you another cookie.” “If the car’s gone,” “I’ll give you another cookie anyway” “because I love you.”
alternatehistories.bsky.social
Tidal also pays artists more (still not as much as they should, but more). Also Tidal's family plan is cheaper ($16.99 per month vs $19.66 for six accounts) and I have my gf and business and friends all on mine.
josie.zone
SWITCH TO TIDAL TODAY

YOU CAN TRANSFER YOUR PLAYLISTS WITH THE LINK BELOW

IT IS EASY, THE SOUND QUALITY IS BETTER, THEY HAVE MUSIC VIDEOS, AND THERE'S NO GESTAPO ADS

tidal.com/transfer-music
pavlovforgoths.com
Found out that Spotify is running ICE recruitment ads, if you need another reason to quit using it.
Reposted by Alternate Histories
kashana.blacksky.app
So thankful that dudes without game now have the option of driving all of our energy bills up to come up with devastating lines like it was nice to meet you
alternatehistories.bsky.social
In short: please come out! If you're in the Strip stop by 1728 Penn Ave! If you're in Greenfield or heading to Hazelwood or wherever, we'd love it if you stopped by the studio - we've got candy too!
alternatehistories.bsky.social
I've been so happy to sell my work at Love Pittsburgh basically since they've opened and they're such great and fierce champions of local businesses. And it's equally great to have my own spot and be able to invite in small independent vintage sellers to help keep physical media alive.
alternatehistories.bsky.social
Two big events today! At my Studio (517 Greenfield Ave) the VHS/DVD pop-up continues with a visit from Cyberia Video from 12-4pm selling restored electronic tech & other fun stuff, while from 12-3pm I'm at Love Pittsburgh in the Strip (1728 Penn Ave) doing a reading of my kids book WHERE'S YINZILLA?
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willowcatelyn.bsky.social
Wishing a happy 101st Birthday to Ed Wood. Ghosts, transvestites, Bela Lugosi as God, what a strange, fascinating picture he gave us. Other than David Lynch, no other Hollywood-adjacent director had a better grasp on the surreal spaces underneath movies--even if Ed maybe only found them by accident.
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moarhops.bsky.social
Your ai social media graphics look bad and you should feel bad
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mattnegrin.bsky.social
That (NPR!) journalists think AI is a creative engine that can finesse iconic productions is not just context for the crap quality of writing in media but alarmingly the inability among a class of supposedly professional scrutinizers to distinguish between art and slop, good and bad, truth and lie
junoryleejournalism.com
David Simon, creator of ‘The Wire’, being interviewed by Ari Shapiro (NPR)
SHAPIRO: OK, so you've spent your career creating television without Al, and I could imagine today you thinking, boy, I wish I had had that tool to solve those thorny problems...
SIMON: What?
SHAPIRO: ...Or saying...
SIMON: You imagine that?
SHAPIRO: ...Boy, if that had existed, it would have screwed me over.
SIMON: I don't think Al can remotely challenge what writers do at a fundamentally creative level.
SHAPIRO: But if you're trying to transition from scene five to scene six, and you're stuck with that transition, you could imagine plugging that portion of the script into an Al and say, give me 10 ideas for how to transition this.
SIMON: I'd rather put a gun in my mouth.
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joshgondelman.bsky.social
Whenever anyone says how much of the U.S. economy is tied to AI right now, I'm like...damn, what if a single rich person had any idea other than "try to zero out labor costs through theft."
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erininthemorning.com
1. Anti-trans outrage is losing its bite.

Last week, Elon Musk led a mass boycott campaign to get trans characters removed from shows on the platform.

Major conservatives joined in.

Now, we have the result: the boycott was a fizzle, and Netflix stock is up.

Subscribe to support my journalism.
Netflix Stock Up As Elon Musk's Anti-Trans Boycott Fails To Materialize
Last week, conservatives tried to cancel Netflix to force the carrier to remove transgender characters.
www.erininthemorning.com
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jessothomson.co.uk
It cannot be made clearer.

If you continue to support the Harry Potter franchise in any way, you are directly funding the removal of trans people's human rights in the UK.
JK Rowling pledges to keep up fight against SNP trans policies

Author vows to bankroll campaigners after Scottish government fails to pay group's legal fees in Supreme Court equality case
alternatehistories.bsky.social
Also your fun reminder that Prince was such a Joni Mitchell fan he wrote a song for the Time called "Ice Cream Castles," which also became the name of one of their albums, and is also probably my favorite Time song
youtu.be/F9Y9flntJxE?...
The Time - Ice Cream Castles (Official Music Video)
YouTube video by RHINO
youtu.be
alternatehistories.bsky.social
Insane to say this when Joni Mitchell, Smokey Robinson, Dolly Parton, and Tom Waits are all still alive.
rebelmusicteach.bsky.social
I also need to know: I am fairly middle-of-the-road on Taylor Swift but someone I know called her the Greatest Living Lyricist. She is not.

Who is yours? Either the greatest or your favorite?
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chronicleflask.katday.com
Daughter of Robin Williams, Zelda Williams 💔
zeldawilliams 
20m
From Create Mode 
••
Please, just stop sending me AI videos of Dad. Stop believing I wanna see it or that I'll understand, I don't and I won't. If you're just trying to troll me, I've seen way worse, i'll restrict and move on. But please, if you've got any decency, just stop doing this to him and to me, to everyone even, full stop. It's dumb, it's a waste of time and energy, and believe me, it's NOT what he'd want.
To watch the legacies of real people be condensed down to 'this vaguely looks and sounds like them so that's enough,
, just so
other people can churn out horrible TikTok slop puppeteering them is maddening. You're not making art, you're making disgusting, over-processed hotdogs out of the lives of human beings, out of the history of art and music, and then shoving them down someone else's throat hoping they'll give you a little thumbs up and like it.
Gross. And for the love of EVERYTHING, stop calling it 'the future. Al is just badly recycling and regurgitating the past to be reconsumed. You are taking in the Human Centipede of content, and from the very very end of the line, all while the folks at the front laugh and laugh, consume and consume.
alternatehistories.bsky.social
Like, no one was greedier than Berry Gordy, but his success depending on having writers craft memorable songs to be sung by talented artists. That desire pushed Motown very hard, but it also produced "Dancing in the Streets" so you know, fair enough
alternatehistories.bsky.social
And for someone like Swift, who has literally zero limitations in her life and art, it is telling what kind of album she chooses to release and how she chooses to promote it.