luminiferous aether
@aetherluminiferous.bsky.social
they/them.
"Fountain," I have cried to that unbubbling well, "I will not drink of thy water!" Yet I thirst
For a mouthful of—not to swallow, only to rinse my mouth in—peace.
"Fountain," I have cried to that unbubbling well, "I will not drink of thy water!" Yet I thirst
For a mouthful of—not to swallow, only to rinse my mouth in—peace.
Reposted by luminiferous aether
Every time someone’s like “put that in the louvre,” my head now goes “and then steal it from the louvre, the security password is louvre”
November 11, 2025 at 3:33 AM
Every time someone’s like “put that in the louvre,” my head now goes “and then steal it from the louvre, the security password is louvre”
Reposted by luminiferous aether
The thing about Mamdani is that he’s a talented politician but not otherworldly or one in a billion, he’s just a competent guy with popular ideas who ran against an entitled piece of shit and to me it’s a lot more optimistic to imagine 1000 campaigns like his than to view him as a unique phenomenon
November 11, 2025 at 1:42 AM
The thing about Mamdani is that he’s a talented politician but not otherworldly or one in a billion, he’s just a competent guy with popular ideas who ran against an entitled piece of shit and to me it’s a lot more optimistic to imagine 1000 campaigns like his than to view him as a unique phenomenon
Reposted by luminiferous aether
“whatever club he’s invited to join has been devalued by the invitation”
November 11, 2025 at 3:05 AM
“whatever club he’s invited to join has been devalued by the invitation”
Reposted by luminiferous aether
a new genre of photo in the last year is federal agents working for ICE pointing guns directly at photographers
November 11, 2025 at 12:41 AM
a new genre of photo in the last year is federal agents working for ICE pointing guns directly at photographers
Reposted by luminiferous aether
It's funny that Musk is like "empathy will destroy society" and then cries when someone is mean to him
November 9, 2025 at 4:38 PM
It's funny that Musk is like "empathy will destroy society" and then cries when someone is mean to him
Reposted by luminiferous aether
Beans for Beantown!
120 Murders? More like 120 meals! From now till Festivus, half the profits from the @ruadanbooks.bsky.social publisher store will go to the Greater Boston Food Bank. Profit margins are high too since there is no middleman between you and book! And the sum will be doubled by the CEO. So...
November 9, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Beans for Beantown!
Reposted by luminiferous aether
“We're seeing a level of proliferation of bodies & body piles from space that's unlike anything I've ever seen…”
Human rights investigator Nathaniel Raymond explains how more people could be killed within a week in Sudan, compared to the past two years in Gaza.
🔗 zeteo.com/p/sudans-dea...
Human rights investigator Nathaniel Raymond explains how more people could be killed within a week in Sudan, compared to the past two years in Gaza.
🔗 zeteo.com/p/sudans-dea...
November 9, 2025 at 4:00 PM
“We're seeing a level of proliferation of bodies & body piles from space that's unlike anything I've ever seen…”
Human rights investigator Nathaniel Raymond explains how more people could be killed within a week in Sudan, compared to the past two years in Gaza.
🔗 zeteo.com/p/sudans-dea...
Human rights investigator Nathaniel Raymond explains how more people could be killed within a week in Sudan, compared to the past two years in Gaza.
🔗 zeteo.com/p/sudans-dea...
Reposted by luminiferous aether
Your seasonal reminder that I design t-shirts (and related products) for grumps, queers, and weirdos.
Impress your relatives at Thanksgiving Dinner! Surprise Grandma with the perfect Hanukkah present! Support a queer, trans independent artist who's been job-hunting since April!
Impress your relatives at Thanksgiving Dinner! Surprise Grandma with the perfect Hanukkah present! Support a queer, trans independent artist who's been job-hunting since April!
November 10, 2025 at 9:55 PM
Your seasonal reminder that I design t-shirts (and related products) for grumps, queers, and weirdos.
Impress your relatives at Thanksgiving Dinner! Surprise Grandma with the perfect Hanukkah present! Support a queer, trans independent artist who's been job-hunting since April!
Impress your relatives at Thanksgiving Dinner! Surprise Grandma with the perfect Hanukkah present! Support a queer, trans independent artist who's been job-hunting since April!
Reposted by luminiferous aether
It feels refreshing and incredible because a hardened legend simply says clearly what we've let get so obfuscated: these guys are all emptied out and they've grown weird moral mutations to justify their emptiness. Clear statements with moral heft can still work, but you can't play compromised.
November 11, 2025 at 5:13 AM
It feels refreshing and incredible because a hardened legend simply says clearly what we've let get so obfuscated: these guys are all emptied out and they've grown weird moral mutations to justify their emptiness. Clear statements with moral heft can still work, but you can't play compromised.
Reposted by luminiferous aether
Makes me think of MAO II where DeLillo is talking (in 1991) about how terrorists now occupy the space novelists once held. Novelists once dangerously influenced mass consciousness, now they don't, and terrorists have seized their role.
Oates is from the last generation still trained to kill.
Oates is from the last generation still trained to kill.
“whatever club he’s invited to join has been devalued by the invitation”
November 11, 2025 at 5:00 AM
Makes me think of MAO II where DeLillo is talking (in 1991) about how terrorists now occupy the space novelists once held. Novelists once dangerously influenced mass consciousness, now they don't, and terrorists have seized their role.
Oates is from the last generation still trained to kill.
Oates is from the last generation still trained to kill.
Reposted by luminiferous aether
There are 1,700 ballots that need signature confirmation. That is enough to change the election.
Go. Check. Your. Ballot.
komonews.com/news/local/s...
Go. Check. Your. Ballot.
komonews.com/news/local/s...
November 11, 2025 at 2:31 AM
There are 1,700 ballots that need signature confirmation. That is enough to change the election.
Go. Check. Your. Ballot.
komonews.com/news/local/s...
Go. Check. Your. Ballot.
komonews.com/news/local/s...
Reposted by luminiferous aether
This is who is in charge. This is the guy who just fucked you.
CHUCK SCHUMER: "New data came out today from KFF - and that is not Kentucky Fried French Fries ... the Kaiser Family Foundation"
November 10, 2025 at 8:05 PM
This is who is in charge. This is the guy who just fucked you.
Reposted by luminiferous aether
In the coming months there will be a massive bailout for AI firms. No crumbs will be left for any but the already obscenely wealthy. The coffers for everyone else will be empty. And democratic leadership will tell you this is all for the best. The alternative would be worse. These will all be lies
November 11, 2025 at 4:59 AM
In the coming months there will be a massive bailout for AI firms. No crumbs will be left for any but the already obscenely wealthy. The coffers for everyone else will be empty. And democratic leadership will tell you this is all for the best. The alternative would be worse. These will all be lies
Reposted by luminiferous aether
It can never be forgotten. It is not political manoeuvring. It is not some master scheme. It is plainly and simply “we want trump to win”.
The situation, folks, couldn’t be worse.
Let Neoliberalism die an unceremonious death. Let this disgusting sham of a party come to an end. It requires rebirth
The situation, folks, couldn’t be worse.
Let Neoliberalism die an unceremonious death. Let this disgusting sham of a party come to an end. It requires rebirth
November 11, 2025 at 4:56 AM
It can never be forgotten. It is not political manoeuvring. It is not some master scheme. It is plainly and simply “we want trump to win”.
The situation, folks, couldn’t be worse.
Let Neoliberalism die an unceremonious death. Let this disgusting sham of a party come to an end. It requires rebirth
The situation, folks, couldn’t be worse.
Let Neoliberalism die an unceremonious death. Let this disgusting sham of a party come to an end. It requires rebirth
Reposted by luminiferous aether
It is very hard to dismiss the fact that senate democrats caving was an intentional gift to Donald Trump. He went to the Supreme Court trying to starve 42 million Americans and we all saw it. And as people fought that, they caved. They are not merely collaborators but wolves in sheep’s clothing.
anyway if dems think I'm gonna forget this shit in 5 months, they're wrong. if they think I'm gonna forget it in 5 years, they're wrong. they have fully convinced me that purging the party of these inept losers in the senate is more important than retaking the senate in the next election cycle
November 11, 2025 at 4:54 AM
It is very hard to dismiss the fact that senate democrats caving was an intentional gift to Donald Trump. He went to the Supreme Court trying to starve 42 million Americans and we all saw it. And as people fought that, they caved. They are not merely collaborators but wolves in sheep’s clothing.
Reposted by luminiferous aether
Brianna Ghey's mum is worse than Captain Tom's granddaughter sorry.
Daughter is murdered by a gang of transphobic kids and the response is to start "mental elf 💔❤️🩹" grifting and lobbying for phone bans.
At least Captain Tom's fam were selfish little pricks. Ghey's are doing THIS.
🧵👇
Daughter is murdered by a gang of transphobic kids and the response is to start "mental elf 💔❤️🩹" grifting and lobbying for phone bans.
At least Captain Tom's fam were selfish little pricks. Ghey's are doing THIS.
🧵👇
October 5, 2025 at 10:56 PM
Brianna Ghey's mum is worse than Captain Tom's granddaughter sorry.
Daughter is murdered by a gang of transphobic kids and the response is to start "mental elf 💔❤️🩹" grifting and lobbying for phone bans.
At least Captain Tom's fam were selfish little pricks. Ghey's are doing THIS.
🧵👇
Daughter is murdered by a gang of transphobic kids and the response is to start "mental elf 💔❤️🩹" grifting and lobbying for phone bans.
At least Captain Tom's fam were selfish little pricks. Ghey's are doing THIS.
🧵👇
Reposted by luminiferous aether
David Gerard is a sophisticated techno-skeptic and an engaging, often funny, writer. For years he's been documenting cryptocurrency scams (and the ur-scam that is crypto itself). Now he's onto AI & its hype. I highly recommend the work of this curmudgeonly contrarian. He's the real deal.
AI gets 45% of news wrong — but readers still trust it
no plans to fix it, though
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dOP... - video
pivottoai.libsyn.com/20251105-ai-... - podcast
time: 4 min 58 sec
no plans to fix it, though
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dOP... - video
pivottoai.libsyn.com/20251105-ai-... - podcast
time: 4 min 58 sec
November 5, 2025 at 10:55 PM
David Gerard is a sophisticated techno-skeptic and an engaging, often funny, writer. For years he's been documenting cryptocurrency scams (and the ur-scam that is crypto itself). Now he's onto AI & its hype. I highly recommend the work of this curmudgeonly contrarian. He's the real deal.
Reposted by luminiferous aether
The right wing is a kind of attractor in the dynamical system sense - no matter where you start, once you have been captured by the attractor it's only a matter of time till you are circling the pure fash equilibrium point.
November 10, 2025 at 9:23 AM
The right wing is a kind of attractor in the dynamical system sense - no matter where you start, once you have been captured by the attractor it's only a matter of time till you are circling the pure fash equilibrium point.
Reposted by luminiferous aether
I need a new spare laptop! Long post with needs here
circumstances.run/@davidgerard...
must have 3 physical mouse buttons, which means Lenovo. Various other reqs. See post. Suggestions welcomed.
circumstances.run/@davidgerard...
must have 3 physical mouse buttons, which means Lenovo. Various other reqs. See post. Suggestions welcomed.
David Gerard (@[email protected])
Lenovo is off for repair. So I'm on the HP, and it's taken to randomly shutting down!
This is unusable for real work, so I need a new spare laptop.
My choice appears to be Lenovo, cos it's the *onl...
circumstances.run
November 10, 2025 at 2:01 PM
I need a new spare laptop! Long post with needs here
circumstances.run/@davidgerard...
must have 3 physical mouse buttons, which means Lenovo. Various other reqs. See post. Suggestions welcomed.
circumstances.run/@davidgerard...
must have 3 physical mouse buttons, which means Lenovo. Various other reqs. See post. Suggestions welcomed.
Reposted by luminiferous aether
"you have much more stuff now so you should shut up and live in precarity" is a pitch with a number of defects
November 10, 2025 at 10:15 AM
"you have much more stuff now so you should shut up and live in precarity" is a pitch with a number of defects
Reposted by luminiferous aether
Gerard is right here; but what strikes me, as we wander the thicket of stupidity that is "agents" discourse, is the shortsightedness.
Hype can go pretty far, esp. considering the credulity of devs and if one creates six dozen Python APIs to keep them busy.
But that can only last mere months.
Hype can go pretty far, esp. considering the credulity of devs and if one creates six dozen Python APIs to keep them busy.
But that can only last mere months.
A useful model for "AI agents" is that they're the current excuse meme for AI. They're not a thing that works at all, now or in the fabulous future. But they're *such* good material for hypecrafting.
November 10, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Gerard is right here; but what strikes me, as we wander the thicket of stupidity that is "agents" discourse, is the shortsightedness.
Hype can go pretty far, esp. considering the credulity of devs and if one creates six dozen Python APIs to keep them busy.
But that can only last mere months.
Hype can go pretty far, esp. considering the credulity of devs and if one creates six dozen Python APIs to keep them busy.
But that can only last mere months.
Reposted by luminiferous aether
A friend works in recycling logistics and was asking CTO of another popular recycling app company how they do their vision ML for IDing high-quality recycled clothing, and it's literally just a wrapper over ChatGPT that works only slightly better than random chance
The key weakness in AI agents is that they're a lie. They don't work. They just don't fuckin' work. You can't set a hallucination engine to work doing tasks. It's pants on head stupid. The hype pretends this isn't the case and hypothesises a fabulous future where they work *at all*. This is a lie.
November 10, 2025 at 3:53 PM
A friend works in recycling logistics and was asking CTO of another popular recycling app company how they do their vision ML for IDing high-quality recycled clothing, and it's literally just a wrapper over ChatGPT that works only slightly better than random chance
Reposted by luminiferous aether
It's important to know that just because Gen AI just repeats bullshit, isn't intelligent, cannot replace humans effectively...
Doesn't mean that people aren't losing livelihoods anyway.
Our billionaire overlords don't care that Gen AI is unable to do our work, they're using it as a reason.
Doesn't mean that people aren't losing livelihoods anyway.
Our billionaire overlords don't care that Gen AI is unable to do our work, they're using it as a reason.
November 10, 2025 at 3:34 PM
It's important to know that just because Gen AI just repeats bullshit, isn't intelligent, cannot replace humans effectively...
Doesn't mean that people aren't losing livelihoods anyway.
Our billionaire overlords don't care that Gen AI is unable to do our work, they're using it as a reason.
Doesn't mean that people aren't losing livelihoods anyway.
Our billionaire overlords don't care that Gen AI is unable to do our work, they're using it as a reason.
Reposted by luminiferous aether
Really important point that people need to grasp: it's not that "AI doesn't work right now" or "I don't want AI to work because I'm a vicious hater". Both those are true but they stem from the more salient reality: "AI" cannot work.
November 10, 2025 at 3:16 PM
Really important point that people need to grasp: it's not that "AI doesn't work right now" or "I don't want AI to work because I'm a vicious hater". Both those are true but they stem from the more salient reality: "AI" cannot work.
Reposted by luminiferous aether
i know a lotta sysadmins around my age, in their 50s
they're choosing to retire rather than get a new job herding slop
let's say there's gonna be a *ton* of opportunities in sysadmin/devops in a couple of years, as it becomes harder to find people who know what the fuck they're doing
they're choosing to retire rather than get a new job herding slop
let's say there's gonna be a *ton* of opportunities in sysadmin/devops in a couple of years, as it becomes harder to find people who know what the fuck they're doing
November 10, 2025 at 9:37 PM
i know a lotta sysadmins around my age, in their 50s
they're choosing to retire rather than get a new job herding slop
let's say there's gonna be a *ton* of opportunities in sysadmin/devops in a couple of years, as it becomes harder to find people who know what the fuck they're doing
they're choosing to retire rather than get a new job herding slop
let's say there's gonna be a *ton* of opportunities in sysadmin/devops in a couple of years, as it becomes harder to find people who know what the fuck they're doing