Jason Byrne
@geekwithsoul.bsky.social
I coalesce the vapors of human experience into a viable and meaningful comprehension.…
Also on Mastodon at https://c.im/@geekwithsoul
Archive of @geekwithsoul on Twitter is at @geekwithsoul-old.bsky.social
Also on Mastodon at https://c.im/@geekwithsoul
Archive of @geekwithsoul on Twitter is at @geekwithsoul-old.bsky.social
Pinned
Reposted by Jason Byrne
this field biologist does a great job highlighting the insidiousness of AI editing
these one-click AI edit buttons are incredibly appealing to many photographers, amateurs and professionals alike, and are framed as innocuous
this is worth sharing and educating people about
these one-click AI edit buttons are incredibly appealing to many photographers, amateurs and professionals alike, and are framed as innocuous
this is worth sharing and educating people about
December 15, 2025 at 2:21 AM
this field biologist does a great job highlighting the insidiousness of AI editing
these one-click AI edit buttons are incredibly appealing to many photographers, amateurs and professionals alike, and are framed as innocuous
this is worth sharing and educating people about
these one-click AI edit buttons are incredibly appealing to many photographers, amateurs and professionals alike, and are framed as innocuous
this is worth sharing and educating people about
Reposted by Jason Byrne
This is a unifying theme in human health: Many chronic conditions arise from common roots but express in different ways.
Mental health diagnoses are often linked: people with schizophrenia are much more likely to have bipolar disorder.
There's a *spectrum* of psychopathology.
Mental health diagnoses are often linked: people with schizophrenia are much more likely to have bipolar disorder.
There's a *spectrum* of psychopathology.
December 14, 2025 at 2:39 PM
This is a unifying theme in human health: Many chronic conditions arise from common roots but express in different ways.
Mental health diagnoses are often linked: people with schizophrenia are much more likely to have bipolar disorder.
There's a *spectrum* of psychopathology.
Mental health diagnoses are often linked: people with schizophrenia are much more likely to have bipolar disorder.
There's a *spectrum* of psychopathology.
Reposted by Jason Byrne
Rob Reiner was one of the key people behind the effort to go to court to overturn California's anti-marriage equality Proposition 8 when it passed in 2008.
Working with Chad Griffin, they founded the American Foundation for Equal Rights and got Ted Olson and David Boies to team up to fight Prop 8.
Working with Chad Griffin, they founded the American Foundation for Equal Rights and got Ted Olson and David Boies to team up to fight Prop 8.
December 15, 2025 at 3:55 AM
Rob Reiner was one of the key people behind the effort to go to court to overturn California's anti-marriage equality Proposition 8 when it passed in 2008.
Working with Chad Griffin, they founded the American Foundation for Equal Rights and got Ted Olson and David Boies to team up to fight Prop 8.
Working with Chad Griffin, they founded the American Foundation for Equal Rights and got Ted Olson and David Boies to team up to fight Prop 8.
"Presumably, Hegseth will pursue an investigation into whoever posted this on Reddit with all the vigor he doesn’t put into doing his actual job."
#SomehowNotTheOnion
#SomehowNotTheOnion
Pentagon Unveils New GenAI Platform, It Immediately Starts Flagging Pete Hegseth's War Crimes - Above the Law
The Defense Department's new ChatJAG turned out to be better than the human chain of command.
abovethelaw.com
December 15, 2025 at 2:39 AM
"Presumably, Hegseth will pursue an investigation into whoever posted this on Reddit with all the vigor he doesn’t put into doing his actual job."
#SomehowNotTheOnion
#SomehowNotTheOnion
Literally no excuse for this - they know where to find human-made stock art, they've been doing it for half a century. They should absolutely be ashamed of themselves.
December 14, 2025 at 11:22 PM
Literally no excuse for this - they know where to find human-made stock art, they've been doing it for half a century. They should absolutely be ashamed of themselves.
Reposted by Jason Byrne
God: Welcome
Me: So what was the meaning of life?
God: Did you ever see a cat do something stupid and then act all embarrassed?
Me: Yeah. That's the whole—
God: Hilarious
Me: So what was the meaning of life?
God: Did you ever see a cat do something stupid and then act all embarrassed?
Me: Yeah. That's the whole—
God: Hilarious
December 14, 2025 at 5:57 AM
God: Welcome
Me: So what was the meaning of life?
God: Did you ever see a cat do something stupid and then act all embarrassed?
Me: Yeah. That's the whole—
God: Hilarious
Me: So what was the meaning of life?
God: Did you ever see a cat do something stupid and then act all embarrassed?
Me: Yeah. That's the whole—
God: Hilarious
"I just use AI for summaries, it's really good at that!"
Narrator: No, it is actually not good at that.
Narrator: No, it is actually not good at that.
'Everyone Disliked That' — Amazon Pulls AI-Powered Fallout Recap After Getting Key Story Details Wrong - IGN
Amazon has pulled its AI-powered Fallout Season 1 recap after fans noticed it made significant errors ahead of the launch of Season 2.
www.ign.com
December 13, 2025 at 5:57 AM
"I just use AI for summaries, it's really good at that!"
Narrator: No, it is actually not good at that.
Narrator: No, it is actually not good at that.
Reposted by Jason Byrne
As someone who was personally censored by the Comics Code, and who witnessed that censorship happening to others on a regular basis during my time in the Marvel Comics Bullpen, I look forward to diving in.
I got to deliver a talk on the history and legacy of the Hays Code and the Comics Code, contemporary censorship efforts, and the necessity of identifying with criminality. You can watch and read the whole thing here:
Read Like a Criminal
Big Gay Read 2025 Keynote Speech
stone-soup.ghost.io
December 13, 2025 at 1:54 AM
As someone who was personally censored by the Comics Code, and who witnessed that censorship happening to others on a regular basis during my time in the Marvel Comics Bullpen, I look forward to diving in.
Wow, this is one wild ride. Hegseth and his cronies are such fragile little boys that they send others to threaten and intimidate - warrior ethos my ass.
I asked the Pentagon about Pete Hegseth's mentor. Then the threats started.
Journalism in the second Trump administration gets personal.
www.motherjones.com
December 12, 2025 at 4:35 AM
Wow, this is one wild ride. Hegseth and his cronies are such fragile little boys that they send others to threaten and intimidate - warrior ethos my ass.
Reposted by Jason Byrne
A little more DPRK in D.C.
Here's what some of the new National Park Service passes will look like, starting Jan 1
December 11, 2025 at 9:16 PM
A little more DPRK in D.C.
Of all the expected knock-on effects of folks exchanging thinking for LLMs, didn't see this one coming but should have.
Like librarians don't already have it tough enough already…
Like librarians don't already have it tough enough already…
Librarians Dumbfounded as People Keep Asking for Materials That Don't Exist
The rising tide of AI slop has brought with it fake research and other sources that librarians are asked to track down.
futurism.com
December 11, 2025 at 4:22 AM
Of all the expected knock-on effects of folks exchanging thinking for LLMs, didn't see this one coming but should have.
Like librarians don't already have it tough enough already…
Like librarians don't already have it tough enough already…
"The move has confounded lawyers and judges alike."
I think they're understating how many people are confounded by this.
I think they're understating how many people are confounded by this.
Trump Team Is Trying to Deport a Woman They Brought Here
The judge called the move “preposterous and offensive.”
newrepublic.com
December 10, 2025 at 8:43 PM
"The move has confounded lawyers and judges alike."
I think they're understating how many people are confounded by this.
I think they're understating how many people are confounded by this.
As a local, I grew up reading WaPo and even had my byline appear in it back in my journalist days, but canceled my subscription +10yrs ago because of the noted decline in coverage/quality. The fact that this abomination is the latest from them makes me wonder, who subscribes to them anymore?!
The Washington Post is launching a personalized AI podcast, saying users will be able to "shape their own briefing, select their topics, set their lengths, pick their hosts and soon even ask questions using our Ask The Post AI technology."
December 10, 2025 at 6:00 PM
As a local, I grew up reading WaPo and even had my byline appear in it back in my journalist days, but canceled my subscription +10yrs ago because of the noted decline in coverage/quality. The fact that this abomination is the latest from them makes me wonder, who subscribes to them anymore?!
Reposted by Jason Byrne
honoring today Dec. 10 (international human rights day) by sharing this horrific and ridiculous news.
"For the first time in history, the United States voted against the UN General Assembly’s periodic resolution condemning torture. The only other countries to do so were Argentina and Israel." From @gaborrona.bsky.social @justsecurity.org www.justsecurity.org/126649/does-...
Does the United States Still Oppose Torture?
The U.S. voted against the UNGA's torture resolution, breaking decades of consensus and raising questions about its human rights stance.
www.justsecurity.org
December 10, 2025 at 3:49 PM
honoring today Dec. 10 (international human rights day) by sharing this horrific and ridiculous news.
Reposted by Jason Byrne
I say this as someone whose entire job is finding the narrow use cases in which AI is actually useful:
All the fear about AI, all the reluctance to adopt it, is entirely legitimate, and a product of the fact that it's been foisted on the public with no consideration of its negative externalities.
All the fear about AI, all the reluctance to adopt it, is entirely legitimate, and a product of the fact that it's been foisted on the public with no consideration of its negative externalities.
I continue to have no sympathy left for whinging about how the public are rude about AI and feel threatened by it when the biggest players in the AI space have spent years very vocally and constantly *threatening the public*
December 10, 2025 at 4:38 PM
I say this as someone whose entire job is finding the narrow use cases in which AI is actually useful:
All the fear about AI, all the reluctance to adopt it, is entirely legitimate, and a product of the fact that it's been foisted on the public with no consideration of its negative externalities.
All the fear about AI, all the reluctance to adopt it, is entirely legitimate, and a product of the fact that it's been foisted on the public with no consideration of its negative externalities.
Reposted by Jason Byrne
It’s time to talk about The Criterion Collection’s most important new addition: Pee-wee’s Big Adventure www.avclub.com/cult-of-crit...
Cult Of Criterion: Pee-wee's Big Adventure
In their breakout film, Pee-wee's Big Adventure, Paul Reubens and Tim Burton electrified the mania and myopia of being a kid.
www.avclub.com
December 10, 2025 at 2:16 PM
It’s time to talk about The Criterion Collection’s most important new addition: Pee-wee’s Big Adventure www.avclub.com/cult-of-crit...
Reposted by Jason Byrne
I said it before, will say it again -- generative AI fetishizes "ideas" while sneering at effort, execution, and education. That, despite Gen-AI being built on and out of other people's effort, execution and education.
A.I. and the Fetishization Of Ideas
In writing and in dispensing my (very dubious, probably shady) writing advice, I am often keen to note that ideas are bullshit. Most writers treat them like precious gems when really, ideas are lik…
terribleminds.com
December 9, 2025 at 2:01 PM
I said it before, will say it again -- generative AI fetishizes "ideas" while sneering at effort, execution, and education. That, despite Gen-AI being built on and out of other people's effort, execution and education.
Reposted by Jason Byrne
Most of the time when "woke/DEI" get thrown around they're just fig leaves for being annoyed that someone might ask you not to be racist but calling Calibri a "diversity" font is just tipping your hand to the fact that you lack the vocabulary to explain yourself
December 10, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Most of the time when "woke/DEI" get thrown around they're just fig leaves for being annoyed that someone might ask you not to be racist but calling Calibri a "diversity" font is just tipping your hand to the fact that you lack the vocabulary to explain yourself
"“Passing peer review” doesn’t make a scientific study true; it just means the study is robust enough that it’s passed the “start line” for consideration by the community."
A lot of good ones in the article, but this is the one a lot of people w/ a little knowledge misunderstand.
A lot of good ones in the article, but this is the one a lot of people w/ a little knowledge misunderstand.
10 scientific truths that somehow became unpopular in 2025
Scientific truths remain true regardless of belief. These 10, despite contrary claims, remain vitally important as 2025 draws to a close.
bigthink.com
December 10, 2025 at 6:16 AM
"“Passing peer review” doesn’t make a scientific study true; it just means the study is robust enough that it’s passed the “start line” for consideration by the community."
A lot of good ones in the article, but this is the one a lot of people w/ a little knowledge misunderstand.
A lot of good ones in the article, but this is the one a lot of people w/ a little knowledge misunderstand.
Reposted by Jason Byrne
What do all of these moves by AI providers to provide compensation to online publishers have in common? They're not doing anything for smaller sites and solo content creators who face the same risk of getting screwed by AI search answers trampling their traffic.
AI Platforms Are Paying (Some) Big Publishers, Leaving Smaller Ones Behind
As a new group of publishers inks a deal with Meta, can Cloudflare's 'pay per crawl' program offer some recourse and revenue for creators who don't have hefty legal budgets?
www.pcmag.com
December 9, 2025 at 3:45 PM
What do all of these moves by AI providers to provide compensation to online publishers have in common? They're not doing anything for smaller sites and solo content creators who face the same risk of getting screwed by AI search answers trampling their traffic.
Reposted by Jason Byrne
I am brimming with holiday spirit
December 8, 2025 at 12:47 PM
I am brimming with holiday spirit
"England is like the plot of Avatar, long and thin."
Okay, @markcooperjones.bsky.social and @jayforeman.bsky.social - which one of you came up with this line? Because it may be the funniest single thing I've ever heard.
(and fascinating video as always!)
Okay, @markcooperjones.bsky.social and @jayforeman.bsky.social - which one of you came up with this line? Because it may be the funniest single thing I've ever heard.
(and fascinating video as always!)
Genuinely didn’t know when I sent this daft post last month that it would turn into a fully fledged episode of Map Men. Thanks so much to everyone who replied!
Watch today’s new episode here ⬇️
youtu.be/DQzqmV7t6_0
Watch today’s new episode here ⬇️
youtu.be/DQzqmV7t6_0
December 9, 2025 at 4:41 AM
"England is like the plot of Avatar, long and thin."
Okay, @markcooperjones.bsky.social and @jayforeman.bsky.social - which one of you came up with this line? Because it may be the funniest single thing I've ever heard.
(and fascinating video as always!)
Okay, @markcooperjones.bsky.social and @jayforeman.bsky.social - which one of you came up with this line? Because it may be the funniest single thing I've ever heard.
(and fascinating video as always!)
Reposted by Jason Byrne
The only surefire way to stop oligarchs buying up the things we love is to drop those things the moment oligarchs buy them & that requires changing habits and massive self-discipline.
It means going to alternatives that might not be quite as good or convenient.
It’s really hard. But there it is.
It means going to alternatives that might not be quite as good or convenient.
It’s really hard. But there it is.
December 9, 2025 at 3:38 AM
The only surefire way to stop oligarchs buying up the things we love is to drop those things the moment oligarchs buy them & that requires changing habits and massive self-discipline.
It means going to alternatives that might not be quite as good or convenient.
It’s really hard. But there it is.
It means going to alternatives that might not be quite as good or convenient.
It’s really hard. But there it is.
Reposted by Jason Byrne
America simmers in a heating stew of addiction and greed. It bubbles over and burns.
"How the wealthy can manipulate and distort prediction markets — and the news"
"How the wealthy can manipulate and distort prediction markets — and the news"
The casino-fication of news
New partnerships between the prediction market Kalshi and cable TV networks will transform every news event into a betting opportunity.
popular.info
December 9, 2025 at 2:57 AM
America simmers in a heating stew of addiction and greed. It bubbles over and burns.
"How the wealthy can manipulate and distort prediction markets — and the news"
"How the wealthy can manipulate and distort prediction markets — and the news"
I love an old retro computing story I've never heard before 😀
Windows 3.1 included a red and yellow 'Hot Dog Stand' color scheme so garish it was long assumed to be a joke, so I tracked down Microsoft's original UI designer to get the true story
Setting the record straight, 33 years later.
www.pcgamer.com
December 9, 2025 at 2:25 AM
I love an old retro computing story I've never heard before 😀