Attenuated Presence 🔭
@attenuated.bsky.social
Nebula guy. Astronomy and physics, teaching, books, games, no politics right now if I can help it.
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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 Attenuated Presence 🔭
Reposted by Attenuated Presence 🔭
some libraries have streaming too! and things that help you learn other languages if you're getting off Duolingo bc of AI.
and manga! and comics! and magazines!
and, you know, books. including books by indie publishers, in many cases.
and manga! and comics! and magazines!
and, you know, books. including books by indie publishers, in many cases.
*kicks down the door like Big Bird in that one gif*
VISIT YOUR LIBRARY
WE'VE GOT DVDS
WE'VE GOT CDS
WE'VE GOT BOOKS ON CD
WE'VE GOT THAT TONIES THING FOR YOUR KID
YOUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS AT WORK
VISIT YOUR LIBRARY
WE'VE GOT DVDS
WE'VE GOT CDS
WE'VE GOT BOOKS ON CD
WE'VE GOT THAT TONIES THING FOR YOUR KID
YOUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS AT WORK
“As prices for streaming subscriptions continue to soar and finding movies to watch, new and old, is becoming harder as the number of streaming services continues to grow, people are turning to the unexpected last stronghold of physical media: the public library.”
December 9, 2025 at 10:24 PM
some libraries have streaming too! and things that help you learn other languages if you're getting off Duolingo bc of AI.
and manga! and comics! and magazines!
and, you know, books. including books by indie publishers, in many cases.
and manga! and comics! and magazines!
and, you know, books. including books by indie publishers, in many cases.
Reposted by Attenuated Presence 🔭
the headline: faster than light travel is now a possibility!
the article: requires negative mass-energy, which is physically impossible.
the "popular science" press recycles this headline 2-4 times a year. i wish my professional peers would stop falling for it, and spreading anti-science disinfo.
the article: requires negative mass-energy, which is physically impossible.
the "popular science" press recycles this headline 2-4 times a year. i wish my professional peers would stop falling for it, and spreading anti-science disinfo.
December 9, 2025 at 1:24 AM
the headline: faster than light travel is now a possibility!
the article: requires negative mass-energy, which is physically impossible.
the "popular science" press recycles this headline 2-4 times a year. i wish my professional peers would stop falling for it, and spreading anti-science disinfo.
the article: requires negative mass-energy, which is physically impossible.
the "popular science" press recycles this headline 2-4 times a year. i wish my professional peers would stop falling for it, and spreading anti-science disinfo.
Reposted by Attenuated Presence 🔭
Heartbreaking. The University of Nebraska will terminate its entire Earth science department.
One of the country's most successful and respected geology & climate programs: gone.
When ideologues & politicians are threatened by the very act of studying climate change, I wonder: who of us is next?
One of the country's most successful and respected geology & climate programs: gone.
When ideologues & politicians are threatened by the very act of studying climate change, I wonder: who of us is next?
It's over.
Despite the fact that the academic council recommended against it, despite the fact that the program brought in more tuition than it cost, and despite the fact that Nebraskans need & deserve this expertise, Earth & Atmospheric Sciences will be cut.
www.dailynebraskan.com/news/adminis...
Despite the fact that the academic council recommended against it, despite the fact that the program brought in more tuition than it cost, and despite the fact that Nebraskans need & deserve this expertise, Earth & Atmospheric Sciences will be cut.
www.dailynebraskan.com/news/adminis...
BREAKING: ‘This hurts’: UNL eliminates 4 programs despite faculty, student pleas
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln eliminates the Earth and atmospheric sciences 8-0, educational administration 7-1, statistics 7-1, textiles, merchandising and fashion design 7-1 programs.
www.dailynebraskan.com
December 6, 2025 at 8:40 PM
Heartbreaking. The University of Nebraska will terminate its entire Earth science department.
One of the country's most successful and respected geology & climate programs: gone.
When ideologues & politicians are threatened by the very act of studying climate change, I wonder: who of us is next?
One of the country's most successful and respected geology & climate programs: gone.
When ideologues & politicians are threatened by the very act of studying climate change, I wonder: who of us is next?
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It’s a public service not a business. Losses are not relevant. It’s in the goddamn constitution. Gonna lose my mind. AAAAAAAAAHHHHH
🚨SCOOP: Amazon is preparing to sever ties with USPS and expand its shipping network as a true coast-to-coast rival.
It could cost USPS more than *$6 billion* a year in lost revenue, and lead Amazon to dominate yet another facet of the economy.
USPS posted a *$9 billion* loss in 2025.
It could cost USPS more than *$6 billion* a year in lost revenue, and lead Amazon to dominate yet another facet of the economy.
USPS posted a *$9 billion* loss in 2025.
Amazon explores cutting ties with USPS, building its own delivery network
Amazon looks into expanding its nationwide delivery network and giving up its longstanding partnership with the U.S. Postal Service.
www.washingtonpost.com
December 5, 2025 at 1:47 PM
It’s a public service not a business. Losses are not relevant. It’s in the goddamn constitution. Gonna lose my mind. AAAAAAAAAHHHHH
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"Or maybe
just maybe
Generative AI is a sack of wet garbage.
Do not use AI for search.
DO NOT USE AI FOR SEARCH."
just maybe
Generative AI is a sack of wet garbage.
Do not use AI for search.
DO NOT USE AI FOR SEARCH."
December 5, 2025 at 5:04 AM
"Or maybe
just maybe
Generative AI is a sack of wet garbage.
Do not use AI for search.
DO NOT USE AI FOR SEARCH."
just maybe
Generative AI is a sack of wet garbage.
Do not use AI for search.
DO NOT USE AI FOR SEARCH."
Reposted by Attenuated Presence 🔭
It's time to talk to you about my cat.
Vital Cat Update
It’s time to talk about my cat. To which you might be saying, “Chuck, I didn’t know you had a cat!” and I’d respond with, “I didn’t know I had a cat either…
terribleminds.com
December 4, 2025 at 8:59 PM
It's time to talk to you about my cat.
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Reposted by Attenuated Presence 🔭
Farm workers stand in solidarity with striking Starbucks workers.
Starbucks baristas have been fighting for a fair union contract for close to 4 years. Just like many farm workers, @sbworkersunited.org is fighting back against greedy union busting employers.
#NoContractNoCoffee
Starbucks baristas have been fighting for a fair union contract for close to 4 years. Just like many farm workers, @sbworkersunited.org is fighting back against greedy union busting employers.
#NoContractNoCoffee
December 3, 2025 at 11:00 PM
Farm workers stand in solidarity with striking Starbucks workers.
Starbucks baristas have been fighting for a fair union contract for close to 4 years. Just like many farm workers, @sbworkersunited.org is fighting back against greedy union busting employers.
#NoContractNoCoffee
Starbucks baristas have been fighting for a fair union contract for close to 4 years. Just like many farm workers, @sbworkersunited.org is fighting back against greedy union busting employers.
#NoContractNoCoffee
Reposted by Attenuated Presence 🔭
Reposted by Attenuated Presence 🔭
Posting from the living room bathtub in my new AI designed house
December 1, 2025 at 10:55 PM
Posting from the living room bathtub in my new AI designed house
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Good morning! AI is being force-fed to you by a handful of billionaires who will lose a bunch of money if they fail to convince you that you need it. You do not need it 🫶
November 6, 2025 at 11:55 AM
Good morning! AI is being force-fed to you by a handful of billionaires who will lose a bunch of money if they fail to convince you that you need it. You do not need it 🫶
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"They're trying to change our habits, because all of the projections rely on people becoming truly dependent on the technology. Whether or not it's actually a good thing for society isn't considered to be a factor."
Analysis: OpenAI is a loss-making machine, how can it survive?
Don't call it a bubble! Loss-making monster OpenAI is on the hook for $1.4 trillion (with a T) in compute commitments. How can this go on?
www.windowscentral.com
November 29, 2025 at 11:30 PM
"They're trying to change our habits, because all of the projections rely on people becoming truly dependent on the technology. Whether or not it's actually a good thing for society isn't considered to be a factor."
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"All of this falls apart if humans don't adopt the tech. This is why you've seen Meta cram its lame chatbots into WhatsApp and Instagram. This is why Notepad and Paint now have useless Copilot buttons on Windows. This is why Google Gemini wants to "help you" read and reply to your emails."
Analysis: OpenAI is a loss-making machine, how can it survive?
Don't call it a bubble! Loss-making monster OpenAI is on the hook for $1.4 trillion (with a T) in compute commitments. How can this go on?
www.windowscentral.com
November 29, 2025 at 11:30 PM
"All of this falls apart if humans don't adopt the tech. This is why you've seen Meta cram its lame chatbots into WhatsApp and Instagram. This is why Notepad and Paint now have useless Copilot buttons on Windows. This is why Google Gemini wants to "help you" read and reply to your emails."
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COMING SOON: AI + Guy™
December 1, 2025 at 1:11 AM
COMING SOON: AI + Guy™
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📣 REPOST: Grouching Towards Enrollment: My 2026 #ACA Open Enrollment Guide:
acasignups.net/25/11/28/gro...
acasignups.net/25/11/28/gro...
Grouching towards Enrollment: My 2026 ACA OEP Guide (Updated w/2 more tips!)
Almost exactly a year ago I began my 2025 ACA Open Enrollment Period guide with the following words: This is the best OEP ever for the ACA for several reasons: The expanded/enhanced premium subsidies ...
acasignups.net
November 30, 2025 at 2:52 PM
📣 REPOST: Grouching Towards Enrollment: My 2026 #ACA Open Enrollment Guide:
acasignups.net/25/11/28/gro...
acasignups.net/25/11/28/gro...
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Quiz teaches you how to spot AI-generated video www.npr.org/2025/11/30/n...
AI video slop is everywhere, take our quiz to try and spot it
There's no one way to be absolutely sure about a video's authenticity, but experts say there are some simple clues that can help.
www.npr.org
November 30, 2025 at 3:38 PM
Quiz teaches you how to spot AI-generated video www.npr.org/2025/11/30/n...
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The idea of unleashing simulacra with no brains on children as educational devices is... beyond incompetent.
Some rants on what thinking and learning are actually like (admittedly not a K-12 example):
buttondown.com/surekhadavie...
Some rants on what thinking and learning are actually like (admittedly not a K-12 example):
buttondown.com/surekhadavie...
Basement adventures showed me why ChatGPT can only ever be garbage.
In The British Library. Photo by Surekha Davies. Hallo readers, First, a news flash: Join me for a virtual book launch for HUMANS: A MONSTROUS HISTORY...
buttondown.com
November 30, 2025 at 4:15 AM
The idea of unleashing simulacra with no brains on children as educational devices is... beyond incompetent.
Some rants on what thinking and learning are actually like (admittedly not a K-12 example):
buttondown.com/surekhadavie...
Some rants on what thinking and learning are actually like (admittedly not a K-12 example):
buttondown.com/surekhadavie...
Reposted by Attenuated Presence 🔭
Reposted by Attenuated Presence 🔭
Authors win discovery ruling in lawsuit against Open AI that could help prove willful copyright infringement (over the use of pirated datasets for AI training)
The OpenAI ruling writers should know about 👀 (if your work was scraped for LLM training, this affects you). www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/bus...
OpenAI Loses Key Discovery Battle as It Cedes Ground to Authors in AI Lawsuits
The issue has been a major battleground in discovery. OpenAI could be on the hook for hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars if it was aware it was infringing on copyrighted material.
www.hollywoodreporter.com
November 29, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Authors win discovery ruling in lawsuit against Open AI that could help prove willful copyright infringement (over the use of pirated datasets for AI training)
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AI is going to make Woozles at record speeds, generating semi-correct or fully hallucinated content that is then ingested again & strengthens the incorrect information.
This "reification-by-accretion" process will poison the value of future models, which now have Woozle-fied training sets.
This "reification-by-accretion" process will poison the value of future models, which now have Woozle-fied training sets.
AI-Generated Data Can Poison Future AI Models
As AI-generated content fills the Internet, it’s corrupting the training data for models to come. What happens when AI eats itself?
www.scientificamerican.com
November 29, 2025 at 5:05 PM
AI is going to make Woozles at record speeds, generating semi-correct or fully hallucinated content that is then ingested again & strengthens the incorrect information.
This "reification-by-accretion" process will poison the value of future models, which now have Woozle-fied training sets.
This "reification-by-accretion" process will poison the value of future models, which now have Woozle-fied training sets.
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if I'm spending $100K on a personal vehicle it better be bipedal and have hardpoints for a brace of PPCs
November 27, 2025 at 8:51 PM
if I'm spending $100K on a personal vehicle it better be bipedal and have hardpoints for a brace of PPCs
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AI Slop Merchants, the purple guy is you
April 12, 2025 at 10:17 PM
AI Slop Merchants, the purple guy is you
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I don’t know if anyone else notices or cares, but when I see a presentation in which the speaker uses obviously generated-AI images to illustrate their slides, it makes me immediately less confident in whatever other content they’re presenting.
November 28, 2025 at 3:07 PM
I don’t know if anyone else notices or cares, but when I see a presentation in which the speaker uses obviously generated-AI images to illustrate their slides, it makes me immediately less confident in whatever other content they’re presenting.