Graham Webster | Lightnews

Graham Webster @gwbstr.com · 3d

Countries don't "expect" or "think" things.

Graham Webster @gwbstr.com · 28d

I'm going to call it for the year on social media. See you back here if and only if I have new work to announce, which is more likely if I'm not here.

Here's a picture I liked, in some weather I didn't like, in Beijing recently, on #kodacolor200.

#filmphotography

Graham Webster @gwbstr.com · 29d

Most TV watchers are outside their TVs, but TV experts appear on the TV—or some such metaphor.

Graham Webster @gwbstr.com · 29d

“A.I. is no less a form of intelligence than digital photography is a form of photography.” Lol

Dave Karpf @davekarpf.bsky.social · 29d

Bahahahahaha The New York Times just printed an opinion piece declaring "AI is intelligent, so long as we redefine what intelligence means to include it. And soon AI will be conscious, because we'll just redefine consciousness too!"

Nothing means anything! Yay!

www.nytimes.com/2025/11/08/o...

Opinion | A.I. Is on Its Way to Something Even More Remarkable Than Intelligence

www.nytimes.com

Graham Webster @gwbstr.com · 29d

Do you think perhaps speed is impeded by national refusal to use the best existing technology (or does that not apply in this case)?

alex roberts @lexlanham.bsky.social · 29d

the "buy nothing project" has a trademark registration (actually 6) for BUY NOTHING & persuaded facebook to kill some of the 1,000s of community groups all over the country through which people give away stuff they don't need & get local stuff free

sf.gazetteer.co/the-fight-to...

Dave Karpf @davekarpf.bsky.social · 29d

Bahahahahaha The New York Times just printed an opinion piece declaring "AI is intelligent, so long as we redefine what intelligence means to include it. And soon AI will be conscious, because we'll just redefine consciousness too!"

Nothing means anything! Yay!

www.nytimes.com/2025/11/08/o...

Opinion | A.I. Is on Its Way to Something Even More Remarkable Than Intelligence

www.nytimes.com

Zack Whittaker @zackwhittaker.com · Nov 7

New: Washington Post is the latest organization to confirm a data breach linked to the mass-hacks of Oracle E-Business apps, which companies use to store their business/HR data.

Google previously said that over 100 organizations have been hacked as part of the campaign.

Washington Post confirms data breach linked to Oracle hacks | TechCrunch

The Washington Post is the latest victim of a hacking campaign by the notorious Clop ransomware gang, which relied on vulnerabilities in Oracle software used by many corporations.

techcrunch.com

Graham Webster @gwbstr.com · Nov 5

so very much not about the governor

James Fallows @jfallows.bsky.social · Nov 5

Never change, NYT politics staff!

Hint: Main thing Calif voters were thinking yesterday was *not* "Hmmm, what does this mean for Gavin Newsom?" But that is clearly main/only thing on mind of politics staff, or unnamed people laying out front page.

Voters: Doing their job! Media: .... sigh.

NYT layout of election results, playing the California redistricting vote mainly for how it helps Gavin Newsom, not what it means for the state or the country.

James Fallows @jfallows.bsky.social · Nov 5

Never change, NYT politics staff!

Hint: Main thing Calif voters were thinking yesterday was *not* "Hmmm, what does this mean for Gavin Newsom?" But that is clearly main/only thing on mind of politics staff, or unnamed people laying out front page.

Voters: Doing their job! Media: .... sigh.

Graham Webster @gwbstr.com · Nov 4

How has no one interviewed the person who made this apparently resilient sandwich

Graham Webster @gwbstr.com · Nov 4

An even more expected outcome of the meeting--to "consummate" of a TikTok deal, in Bessent's phrasing--also did not occur. Was it torpedoed?

Graham Webster @gwbstr.com · Nov 4

Hard to parse this story. Sounds like the question of selling a decreased-capability version of Nvidia's new generation of AI chips is still open, and only "torpedoed" as to the Korea meeting.
www.wsj.com/world/china/...

Exclusive | Trump Officials Torpedoed Nvidia’s Push to Export AI Chips to China

The president decided against discussing the matter with Chinese leader Xi Jinping after top aides opposed it.

www.wsj.com

Graham Webster @gwbstr.com · Nov 4

Hard to parse this story. Sounds like the question of selling a decreased-capability version of Nvidia's new generation of AI chips is still open, and only "torpedoed" as to the Korea meeting.
www.wsj.com/world/china/...

Exclusive | Trump Officials Torpedoed Nvidia’s Push to Export AI Chips to China

The president decided against discussing the matter with Chinese leader Xi Jinping after top aides opposed it.

www.wsj.com

Graham Webster @gwbstr.com · Nov 3

this is like reporting “over my dead body” and ”I will die on this hill” as genuine promises to sacrifice one’s life

New York Post @nypost.com · Nov 3

Nearly a million New Yorkers ready to flee NYC if Mamdani becomes mayor — possibly igniting mass exodus: poll

Hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers are prepared to bolt from the Big Apple if socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani wins Tuesday's mayoral race — potentially setting the stage for the largest population flight in US history, a new poll warns.

nypost.com

New York Post @nypost.com · Nov 3

Nearly a million New Yorkers ready to flee NYC if Mamdani becomes mayor — possibly igniting mass exodus: poll

Hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers are prepared to bolt from the Big Apple if socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani wins Tuesday's mayoral race — potentially setting the stage for the largest population flight in US history, a new poll warns.

nypost.com

Graham Webster @gwbstr.com · Nov 2

Policies or not, credit is deserved.

Graham Webster @gwbstr.com · Nov 2

“Pick fights and negotiate back to somewhat worse than where we started and declare victory“ seems like the basic approach.

𝙉𝙋𝘾 𝙊𝙗𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙚𝙧 @npcobserver.com · Oct 28

NEW: On Oct. 28, China passed the first amendments to its 2016 Cybersecurity Law, effective Jan. 1, 2026: www.npc.gov.cn/npc/c2/c3083...

Bill page with legislative records and past drafts: npcobserver.com/legislation/...

Cybersecurity Law - NPC Observer

Texts, legislative records, translations (if any), and related coverage of China's Cybersecurity Law. - Cybersecurity Law of the People’s Republic of China中华人民共和国网络安全法 Full text of the Law as a

npcobserver.com

Graham Webster @gwbstr.com · Oct 24

Jesus. The school actually says it did review the alert and cancel it. (It says "doritos" in the picture.) But the cops rolled in anyway to ruin the day.

"I am writing to provide information on an incident that occurred last night on school property. At approximately 7 p.m., school administration received an alert that an individual on school grounds may have been in possession of a weapon. The Department of School Safety and Security quickly reviewed and canceled the initial alert after confirming there was no weapon. I contacted our school resource officer (SRO) and reported the matter to him, and he contacted the local precinct for additional support. Police officers responded to the school, searched the individual and quickly confirmed that they were not in possession of any weapons. We understand how upsetting this was for the individual that was searched as well as the other students who witnessed the incident. Our counselors will provide direct support to the students who were involved in this incident and are also available to speak with any student who may
need support.

Graham Webster @gwbstr.com · Oct 24

I'm not a fan of the word "hallucinating" for LLMs. It's more apt here, though still a reminder: This system doesn't know anything about reality. It doesn't know what a gun is or isn't. And apparently the humans using it don't look at the pic before initiating a possibly deadly situation with a kid.

Phil Lewis @phillewis.bsky.social · Oct 24

Baltimore high school student Taki Allen was swarmed by police after an artificial intelligence system apparently mistook his bag of Doritos for a gun www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

a photo of Taki Allen and a bag of doritos

Graham Webster @gwbstr.com · Oct 24

Ideal visual aid for my apparently unpopular take: tearing down part of a historic building is not among my top 10 concerns about the president, his party, and the government.

Hillary Clinton
@HillaryClinton
If you're hopping mad about Trump destroying the White House, we've got a new hat or sticker for you.

Your purchase supports progressive groups working to build a fairer, more inclusive America for everyone—and win elections!
[hat and sticker say: not his house our house]

Phil Lewis @phillewis.bsky.social · Oct 24

Baltimore high school student Taki Allen was swarmed by police after an artificial intelligence system apparently mistook his bag of Doritos for a gun www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Graham Webster @gwbstr.com · Oct 23

I keep thinking about the Chinese officials on the receiving end of decades of US lectures about the rule of law. Wonder why that is.

Josh Marshall @joshtpm.bsky.social · Oct 23

Greg Bovino Immediately Flouts Chicago Court Order, Lawyers Say talkingpointsmemo.com/news/greg-bo...

Greg Bovino Immediately Flouts Chicago Court Order, Lawyers Say

For two weeks, CBP commander Greg Bovino was gone from the streets...

talkingpointsmemo.com

Josh Marshall @joshtpm.bsky.social · Oct 23

Greg Bovino Immediately Flouts Chicago Court Order, Lawyers Say talkingpointsmemo.com/news/greg-bo...

Greg Bovino Immediately Flouts Chicago Court Order, Lawyers Say

For two weeks, CBP commander Greg Bovino was gone from the streets...

talkingpointsmemo.com

Graham Webster @gwbstr.com · Oct 23

“I want to make it clear that if anyone attempts to enter your house or detain you, and they’re not in uniform or they don’t show credentials, please call 911 immediately,” [OPD Asst Chief James] Beere said.

The Oaklandside @oaklandside.org · Oct 23

Mayor Barbara Lee and other East Bay leaders reaffirmed their support for immigrants after Trump called off a crackdown in San Francisco.

‘Don’t take the bait’: Oakland leaders urge calm as possible Trump immigration crackdown looms over region

Mayor Barbara Lee and other East Bay leaders reaffirmed their support for immigrants after Trump called off a crackdown in San Francisco.

oaklandside.org

The Oaklandside @oaklandside.org · Oct 23

Mayor Barbara Lee and other East Bay leaders reaffirmed their support for immigrants after Trump called off a crackdown in San Francisco.

‘Don’t take the bait’: Oakland leaders urge calm as possible Trump immigration crackdown looms over region

Mayor Barbara Lee and other East Bay leaders reaffirmed their support for immigrants after Trump called off a crackdown in San Francisco.

oaklandside.org

Graham Webster @gwbstr.com · Oct 23

Any conspiracy theories about what's below the White House getting blown up today?

ACLU @aclu.org · Oct 23

We're in court today to stop the unlawful detention of people who aren't citizens at Guantánamo Bay in Cuba.

The Trump administration thinks they can evade the law by sending people to an offshore prison, to scare people into giving up their rights. They're wrong.

Graham Webster @gwbstr.com · Oct 22

New usability hack dropped

Screenshot shows muting the word tattoo on bsky

Graham Webster @gwbstr.com · Oct 22

Information distance… at least it would have been a few decades earlier. By 1881 the telegraph made it across the Atlantic and from London to at least coastal China.

Conrad Hackett @conradhackett.bsky.social · Oct 21

This fantastic map by Francis Galton shows travel time from London to the rest of the world in 1881.

This is an isochronic passage chart for travelers created by Francis Galton. The Princeton library catalog has this description "Landmasses and oceans colored according to travel time (in days) to those points from London, ca. 1881. Includes explanation of colors, showing days journey indicated by each color. Includes note: "showing the shortest number of days journey from London by the quickest through routes and using such further conveyances as are available without unreasonable cost. It is supposed that local preparations have been made and that other circumstances are favourable." From: Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society and monthly record of geography."

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