Brandon Downey
@bdowney.bsky.social
Infosec professional, photographer, math enthusiast, occasional augmented reality warlord. Peculiar but refined tastes in triangles, cinema, and cocktails. Some skill with Azad.
Signal: bdowney.23
Opinions are my own and not those of my employer
Signal: bdowney.23
Opinions are my own and not those of my employer
Related: I suggested the "Elvish Room" as a less offensive thought experiment than the Chinese Room.
![[Ben Garrison comic about the evils of searle's chinese room argument for AI, except instead of Searle's Chinese Room, it is Searle's Elvish Room.]
The left hand room has a wizard saying "I don't speak Elvish, I just follow the rules", and the right side is the "Deep State Data Center", where a robot eeds elvish writing onto a conveyor belt that says "Big tech AI Narrative". Also, somehow the robot is projecting a hologram of an older elf (Cirdan the Shipwright maybe?).](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:6vdgoinf4xl7teq4quvhtf5y/bafkreiavpd4vf7jupygbdwjhef2lfyujl7itth4hiicp2lsodpjgndqh6e@jpeg)
November 30, 2025 at 10:13 PM
Related: I suggested the "Elvish Room" as a less offensive thought experiment than the Chinese Room.
My contribution.
[Ben Garrison comic about the evils of searle's chinese room argument for AI]
@damienmiller.bsky.social
[Ben Garrison comic about the evils of searle's chinese room argument for AI]
@damienmiller.bsky.social
November 30, 2025 at 9:58 PM
My contribution.
[Ben Garrison comic about the evils of searle's chinese room argument for AI]
@damienmiller.bsky.social
[Ben Garrison comic about the evils of searle's chinese room argument for AI]
@damienmiller.bsky.social
I think Nano Banana Pro soft launched in the last week or so, because it suddenly leapt ahead of ChatGPT 5.1's image generation (surpising since I thought it was about photo alteration). As I discovered teasing @adamgurri.liberalcurrents.com, it has almost "solved" Chick tracts.
November 30, 2025 at 8:05 PM
I think Nano Banana Pro soft launched in the last week or so, because it suddenly leapt ahead of ChatGPT 5.1's image generation (surpising since I thought it was about photo alteration). As I discovered teasing @adamgurri.liberalcurrents.com, it has almost "solved" Chick tracts.
Here's what I'm thankful for: so many ofy fellows are willing to fight back. Pick these up from someone also in Rapid Response this morning making a card for NorCal.
All people willing to fight back and to do the right thing
All people willing to fight back and to do the right thing
November 28, 2025 at 1:32 AM
Here's what I'm thankful for: so many ofy fellows are willing to fight back. Pick these up from someone also in Rapid Response this morning making a card for NorCal.
All people willing to fight back and to do the right thing
All people willing to fight back and to do the right thing
[Draw a scene from Baldur's Gate 3 as if RFK Jr. were a character in it.]
Yeah Nano Banana 3 can ... kinda cook?
Big debate about whether RFK Jr. is a druid or a ranger though. That it rendered him with a falcon though? Kinda wow.
Yeah Nano Banana 3 can ... kinda cook?
Big debate about whether RFK Jr. is a druid or a ranger though. That it rendered him with a falcon though? Kinda wow.
![Prompt: [Draw a scene from Baldur's Gate 3 as if RFK Jr. were a character in it.]
RFK Appears with text above him saying "RFK Jr. (Druid)", with him asking about ranger armor.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:6vdgoinf4xl7teq4quvhtf5y/bafkreibxapjemyeldqqrr4u2bsekwssru4zj3bdjpqsumumacznaalceze@jpeg)
November 23, 2025 at 4:05 AM
[Draw a scene from Baldur's Gate 3 as if RFK Jr. were a character in it.]
Yeah Nano Banana 3 can ... kinda cook?
Big debate about whether RFK Jr. is a druid or a ranger though. That it rendered him with a falcon though? Kinda wow.
Yeah Nano Banana 3 can ... kinda cook?
Big debate about whether RFK Jr. is a druid or a ranger though. That it rendered him with a falcon though? Kinda wow.
View from my 50th birthday party.
I promise it's not a metaphor, just SF's coast. :)
I promise it's not a metaphor, just SF's coast. :)
November 18, 2025 at 2:20 AM
View from my 50th birthday party.
I promise it's not a metaphor, just SF's coast. :)
I promise it's not a metaphor, just SF's coast. :)
I wrote a review of this. I strongly recommend everyone review or report this app. Google will remove the reviews, but people should say this is wrong.
November 14, 2025 at 6:33 AM
I wrote a review of this. I strongly recommend everyone review or report this app. Google will remove the reviews, but people should say this is wrong.
I wonder how popular banning CBD gummies will be. Surely the Democrats voting for this have a grand plan for it.
Meanwhile, more states legalize weed every day....
Meanwhile, more states legalize weed every day....
November 11, 2025 at 2:17 AM
I wonder how popular banning CBD gummies will be. Surely the Democrats voting for this have a grand plan for it.
Meanwhile, more states legalize weed every day....
Meanwhile, more states legalize weed every day....
Community patrol for Rapid Response Network at San Jose city hall rally.
Consider joining or supporting your local rapid response to help document and help your local community vs. ICE/DHS.
We are Stronger Together.
Shirt by @djinnandtonic.bsky.social; #wideawakes.
Consider joining or supporting your local rapid response to help document and help your local community vs. ICE/DHS.
We are Stronger Together.
Shirt by @djinnandtonic.bsky.social; #wideawakes.
November 9, 2025 at 9:06 PM
Community patrol for Rapid Response Network at San Jose city hall rally.
Consider joining or supporting your local rapid response to help document and help your local community vs. ICE/DHS.
We are Stronger Together.
Shirt by @djinnandtonic.bsky.social; #wideawakes.
Consider joining or supporting your local rapid response to help document and help your local community vs. ICE/DHS.
We are Stronger Together.
Shirt by @djinnandtonic.bsky.social; #wideawakes.
I just have been unable to take him seriously since the last Mad Max movie.
November 6, 2025 at 2:28 AM
I just have been unable to take him seriously since the last Mad Max movie.
Out for community patrol for my local Rapid Response Network. It's Dia de Los Muertos in Mountain View, and we were keeping our eyes out for ICE.
Man asked me if 'Wide Awakes' was a new band.
Me: "Yeah, Abe Lincoln's Boy Band."
Shirt courtesy of @djinnandtonic.bsky.social.
Man asked me if 'Wide Awakes' was a new band.
Me: "Yeah, Abe Lincoln's Boy Band."
Shirt courtesy of @djinnandtonic.bsky.social.
November 1, 2025 at 11:37 PM
Out for community patrol for my local Rapid Response Network. It's Dia de Los Muertos in Mountain View, and we were keeping our eyes out for ICE.
Man asked me if 'Wide Awakes' was a new band.
Me: "Yeah, Abe Lincoln's Boy Band."
Shirt courtesy of @djinnandtonic.bsky.social.
Man asked me if 'Wide Awakes' was a new band.
Me: "Yeah, Abe Lincoln's Boy Band."
Shirt courtesy of @djinnandtonic.bsky.social.
For Halloween at work, I came as one of the #sunnyvale crows.
November 1, 2025 at 1:10 AM
For Halloween at work, I came as one of the #sunnyvale crows.
This is a big breakthrough. Dagna recognizes Shale (her sister) on a laptop screen! I was looking at pictures I'd taken of her and she walked up and started meowing and incredibly interested ("Why is my sister behind this window?").
October 29, 2025 at 2:55 AM
This is a big breakthrough. Dagna recognizes Shale (her sister) on a laptop screen! I was looking at pictures I'd taken of her and she walked up and started meowing and incredibly interested ("Why is my sister behind this window?").
Celebrate National Black Cat Day! [*]
[*] In the UK. Here in California apparently all days are national black cat day if your name is Dagna.
[*] In the UK. Here in California apparently all days are national black cat day if your name is Dagna.
October 28, 2025 at 4:47 AM
Celebrate National Black Cat Day! [*]
[*] In the UK. Here in California apparently all days are national black cat day if your name is Dagna.
[*] In the UK. Here in California apparently all days are national black cat day if your name is Dagna.
I got home tonight and this happened.
October 27, 2025 at 5:46 AM
I got home tonight and this happened.
![Social media post from The White House [official].
"We're built different. Have a good night, everyone (crown emoji)".
AI rendering of Donald Trump and JD Vance wearing ill-fitting crowns
Below, Jeffries and Schumer depicted in Sombreros (because Trump is a racist).](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:6vdgoinf4xl7teq4quvhtf5y/bafkreifdf3q6bnfttglumvth7gk3qd5t7hzfakaw4adslyyog5cqycrnja@jpeg)
October 19, 2025 at 2:58 AM
Hate America so much I got an Abe Lincoln pin to wear to No Kings.
October 15, 2025 at 12:52 AM
Hate America so much I got an Abe Lincoln pin to wear to No Kings.
My wife & I finished the audio book of The Tainted Cup on a road trip this weekend. It's great! It won a Hugo, and if you like mysteries, plants, well-drawn characters, or impeccable world building with a certain Holmesian energy, you will love it.
If you don't stay out of the steam room. 😇
If you don't stay out of the steam room. 😇
October 13, 2025 at 7:24 PM
My wife & I finished the audio book of The Tainted Cup on a road trip this weekend. It's great! It won a Hugo, and if you like mysteries, plants, well-drawn characters, or impeccable world building with a certain Holmesian energy, you will love it.
If you don't stay out of the steam room. 😇
If you don't stay out of the steam room. 😇
The Wired article was June 28th. The people using it before that were mainly people in various Star Wars fandoms about droids.
October 8, 2025 at 11:27 PM
The Wired article was June 28th. The people using it before that were mainly people in various Star Wars fandoms about droids.
It's not normally what I mean when I say 'Enlightenment 2', but sure I'm here for it.
October 2, 2025 at 6:36 AM
It's not normally what I mean when I say 'Enlightenment 2', but sure I'm here for it.
Faith is not just for the Son of God anymore; it can also show up as a necessary component of our currency.
September 29, 2025 at 11:35 PM
Faith is not just for the Son of God anymore; it can also show up as a necessary component of our currency.
Do not grow addicted to reshares.
September 24, 2025 at 5:46 PM
Do not grow addicted to reshares.
Honestly, why do you need the Rapture when you could just re-binge the Leftovers?
September 24, 2025 at 4:34 AM
Honestly, why do you need the Rapture when you could just re-binge the Leftovers?