@carlring.bsky.social
I wander about New England's mountains. Sometimes I write about it. Punk rock and endurance sports might have saved my life
Reposted
don’t you know the higher you climb, the colder it gets?
December 10, 2025 at 11:47 PM
don’t you know the higher you climb, the colder it gets?
happy 195th birthday Emily Dickinson
December 10, 2025 at 11:00 PM
happy 195th birthday Emily Dickinson
what was that?
December 10, 2025 at 10:32 PM
what was that?
Reposted
SKULL OF THOMAS AQUINAS: TAKE A LEFT NOW
PRIEST: No, the GPS says we have to keep going—
SKULL: I KNOW A SHORTCUT
PRIEST: Do you remember the last ti—
SKULL: FOR THOSE WITH FAITH, NO EVIDENCE IS NECESSARY; FOR THOSE WITHOUT IT, NO EVIDENCE WILL SUFFICE
PRIEST: No, the GPS says we have to keep going—
SKULL: I KNOW A SHORTCUT
PRIEST: Do you remember the last ti—
SKULL: FOR THOSE WITH FAITH, NO EVIDENCE IS NECESSARY; FOR THOSE WITHOUT IT, NO EVIDENCE WILL SUFFICE
'Skull of St. Thomas Aquinas being transported to Fossanova Abbey.'
Photograph by Daniel Ibanez
Photograph by Daniel Ibanez
December 10, 2025 at 5:10 PM
SKULL OF THOMAS AQUINAS: TAKE A LEFT NOW
PRIEST: No, the GPS says we have to keep going—
SKULL: I KNOW A SHORTCUT
PRIEST: Do you remember the last ti—
SKULL: FOR THOSE WITH FAITH, NO EVIDENCE IS NECESSARY; FOR THOSE WITHOUT IT, NO EVIDENCE WILL SUFFICE
PRIEST: No, the GPS says we have to keep going—
SKULL: I KNOW A SHORTCUT
PRIEST: Do you remember the last ti—
SKULL: FOR THOSE WITH FAITH, NO EVIDENCE IS NECESSARY; FOR THOSE WITHOUT IT, NO EVIDENCE WILL SUFFICE
for today's moment of
Hope and Resilience:
the old ways are finding new relevance (aka the revolution will not be digitized)
www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-i...
Hope and Resilience:
the old ways are finding new relevance (aka the revolution will not be digitized)
www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-i...
Gen-Zine: DIY publications find new life as form of resistance against Trump
Zines have made a resurgence as communities seek to share information on everything from ICE raids to local elections
www.theguardian.com
December 10, 2025 at 1:01 PM
for today's moment of
Hope and Resilience:
the old ways are finding new relevance (aka the revolution will not be digitized)
www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-i...
Hope and Resilience:
the old ways are finding new relevance (aka the revolution will not be digitized)
www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-i...
in the mountains I call home,
this will be a life or death issue for some.
Don't trust the digital parrots to guide you into the wilderness,
Ever.
this will be a life or death issue for some.
Don't trust the digital parrots to guide you into the wilderness,
Ever.
So now humans are getting lost/trapped and other humans have to send out search parties to find them because AI doesn't have the capacity to account for sudden trail closures
For me personally? That sums up exactly how unreliable AI is
futurism.com/ai-chatbots-...
For me personally? That sums up exactly how unreliable AI is
futurism.com/ai-chatbots-...
AI Chatbots Are Putting Clueless Hikers in Danger, Search and Rescue Groups Warn
Hikers are ending up in need of rescue because they're following the questionable recommendations of an AI chatbot.
futurism.com
December 10, 2025 at 11:50 AM
in the mountains I call home,
this will be a life or death issue for some.
Don't trust the digital parrots to guide you into the wilderness,
Ever.
this will be a life or death issue for some.
Don't trust the digital parrots to guide you into the wilderness,
Ever.
Reposted
How many barrels will thy vengeance yield thee even if thou gettest it, Captain Ahab?
December 10, 2025 at 9:47 AM
How many barrels will thy vengeance yield thee even if thou gettest it, Captain Ahab?
it must be getting close to race season,
because I'm obsessing about ski wax options for specific conditions.
because I'm obsessing about ski wax options for specific conditions.
December 10, 2025 at 2:10 AM
it must be getting close to race season,
because I'm obsessing about ski wax options for specific conditions.
because I'm obsessing about ski wax options for specific conditions.
middle aged Ethan Hawke is a national treasure
“I am so bored by AI. One of the things I love about the theatre is AI can’t do it.”
Ethan Hawke is a dude 👌🏻
Ethan Hawke is a dude 👌🏻
December 10, 2025 at 1:24 AM
middle aged Ethan Hawke is a national treasure
Reposted
"There are no more free public spaces!"
Your library is right there.
"I can't afford to subscribe to every media outlet!"
Your library is right there.
"I have to subscribe to corporate streaming or else I can't watch movies or play video games!"
Your library is right there.
Your library is right there.
"I can't afford to subscribe to every media outlet!"
Your library is right there.
"I have to subscribe to corporate streaming or else I can't watch movies or play video games!"
Your library is right there.
And! Your public library most likely offers access to the major newspapers. You can just login & check out the day's stories (or past ones) for free.
December 9, 2025 at 4:59 PM
"There are no more free public spaces!"
Your library is right there.
"I can't afford to subscribe to every media outlet!"
Your library is right there.
"I have to subscribe to corporate streaming or else I can't watch movies or play video games!"
Your library is right there.
Your library is right there.
"I can't afford to subscribe to every media outlet!"
Your library is right there.
"I have to subscribe to corporate streaming or else I can't watch movies or play video games!"
Your library is right there.
this is a classic trick question, dear reader.
Fallon knows that Sam Altman can't imagine raising a baby at all,
because he's too busy selling his very expensive faff off machine,
(and because he hires nannies for that sort of work)
Fallon knows that Sam Altman can't imagine raising a baby at all,
because he's too busy selling his very expensive faff off machine,
(and because he hires nannies for that sort of work)
Jimmy Fallon: "And do you use ChatGPT when raising your baby?"
Sam Altman: "I cannot imagine figuring out how to raise a newborn without ChatGPT."
Sam Altman: "I cannot imagine figuring out how to raise a newborn without ChatGPT."
December 9, 2025 at 7:13 PM
this is a classic trick question, dear reader.
Fallon knows that Sam Altman can't imagine raising a baby at all,
because he's too busy selling his very expensive faff off machine,
(and because he hires nannies for that sort of work)
Fallon knows that Sam Altman can't imagine raising a baby at all,
because he's too busy selling his very expensive faff off machine,
(and because he hires nannies for that sort of work)
Reposted
OpenAI admits AI hallucinations are mathematically inevitable, not just engineering flaws.
Inevitable, but people are trusting it to read and write for them.
Inevitable, but people are trusting it to read and write for them.
Excellent explainer thread. I was also reminded of this article: www.computerworld.com/article/4059...
OpenAI admits AI hallucinations are mathematically inevitable, not just engineering flaws
In a landmark study, OpenAI researchers reveal that large language models will always produce plausible but false outputs, even with perfect data, due to fundamental statistical and computational limi...
www.computerworld.com
December 9, 2025 at 12:42 PM
OpenAI admits AI hallucinations are mathematically inevitable, not just engineering flaws.
Inevitable, but people are trusting it to read and write for them.
Inevitable, but people are trusting it to read and write for them.
help me understand,
so I'm NOT suppose to wear sweats or workout clothes to fly anymore,
but I am suppose to workout and presumably sweat at the airport before getting on a plane to fly somewhere?
so I'm NOT suppose to wear sweats or workout clothes to fly anymore,
but I am suppose to workout and presumably sweat at the airport before getting on a plane to fly somewhere?
Duffy on what he's doing to improve the airport experience for travelers: "Maybe I want a workout area where people might get some blood flowing doing some pull ups or step ups in the airport."
December 9, 2025 at 10:39 AM
help me understand,
so I'm NOT suppose to wear sweats or workout clothes to fly anymore,
but I am suppose to workout and presumably sweat at the airport before getting on a plane to fly somewhere?
so I'm NOT suppose to wear sweats or workout clothes to fly anymore,
but I am suppose to workout and presumably sweat at the airport before getting on a plane to fly somewhere?
Reposted
Wet, drenched through, and shivering cold, despairing of ship or boat, we lifted up our eyes as the dawn came on.
December 9, 2025 at 7:47 AM
Wet, drenched through, and shivering cold, despairing of ship or boat, we lifted up our eyes as the dawn came on.
Reposted
Herman Melville on moderates, all the way back in 1857:
May 27, 2024 at 8:27 PM
Herman Melville on moderates, all the way back in 1857:
Movie you've watched more than six times with a gif, Hard mode, No Stars, LOTR, Marvel, or Pixar
December 7, 2025 at 11:58 PM
Movie you've watched more than six times with a gif, Hard mode, No Stars, LOTR, Marvel, or Pixar
"What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore—
And then run?....
Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.
Or does it explode?"
Harlem - Langston Hughes
Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore—
And then run?....
Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.
Or does it explode?"
Harlem - Langston Hughes
Which lines of poetry live rent-free in your head?
December 7, 2025 at 6:31 PM
"What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore—
And then run?....
Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.
Or does it explode?"
Harlem - Langston Hughes
Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore—
And then run?....
Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.
Or does it explode?"
Harlem - Langston Hughes
"The world is too much with us; late and soon,
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers;—
Little we see in Nature that is ours;
We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!"
William Wordsworth
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers;—
Little we see in Nature that is ours;
We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!"
William Wordsworth
Which lines of poetry live rent-free in your head?
December 7, 2025 at 6:26 PM
"The world is too much with us; late and soon,
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers;—
Little we see in Nature that is ours;
We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!"
William Wordsworth
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers;—
Little we see in Nature that is ours;
We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!"
William Wordsworth
"Knowledge becomes data; teaching becomes delivery. What disappears are precious human capacities—curiosity, discernment, presence. The result isn’t augmented intelligence but simulated learning: a paint-by-numbers approach to thought."
long but very relevant read, about society as much as Uni
long but very relevant read, about society as much as Uni
Worth reading for lots of reasons, but particularly because it closes with something I see in my work and travels speaking on writing and AI. Many, maybe most students do not want AI-mediated schooling or lives. We can offer them something better. www.currentaffairs.org/news/ai-is-d...
AI is Destroying the University and Learning Itself
Students use AI to write papers, professors use AI to grade them, degrees become meaningless, and tech companies make fortunes. Welcome to the death of higher education.
www.currentaffairs.org
December 7, 2025 at 5:36 PM
"Knowledge becomes data; teaching becomes delivery. What disappears are precious human capacities—curiosity, discernment, presence. The result isn’t augmented intelligence but simulated learning: a paint-by-numbers approach to thought."
long but very relevant read, about society as much as Uni
long but very relevant read, about society as much as Uni
Reposted
My dad abhors any negative comments about immigrants. Asked him recently why he’s so strong on it: ‘Because we’re always happy to take the rich and clever ones. Which means it’s not about disliking immigrants. It’s about disliking the poor and vulnerable. And that’s a bad human instinct.’
December 7, 2025 at 8:31 AM
My dad abhors any negative comments about immigrants. Asked him recently why he’s so strong on it: ‘Because we’re always happy to take the rich and clever ones. Which means it’s not about disliking immigrants. It’s about disliking the poor and vulnerable. And that’s a bad human instinct.’
remember when Google's corporate motto was "Don't Be Evil"
that was a quaint time, part 2
that was a quaint time, part 2
But here's the real cherry on top re: discovering a published paper that I can only assume was written by an LLM, full of fabricated citations.
When I was searching in various places to confirm that those citations were fabricated, Google's AI overview just kept the con going.
When I was searching in various places to confirm that those citations were fabricated, Google's AI overview just kept the con going.
December 7, 2025 at 2:04 PM
remember when Google's corporate motto was "Don't Be Evil"
that was a quaint time, part 2
that was a quaint time, part 2
for this morning's moment of
Hope & Resilience:
Libraries and Maps can still be our gateway to the big beautiful world out there:
www.npr.org/2025/12/07/n...
Hope & Resilience:
Libraries and Maps can still be our gateway to the big beautiful world out there:
www.npr.org/2025/12/07/n...
From 400-year-old globes to cosmic shrouds: A Maine library brings maps to life
From 400-year-old globes to cosmic funeral shrouds, how the Osher Map Library in Maine shows people that maps aren't just for navigation — but windows into history, culture, and how we see the world.
www.npr.org
December 7, 2025 at 1:54 PM
for this morning's moment of
Hope & Resilience:
Libraries and Maps can still be our gateway to the big beautiful world out there:
www.npr.org/2025/12/07/n...
Hope & Resilience:
Libraries and Maps can still be our gateway to the big beautiful world out there:
www.npr.org/2025/12/07/n...
remember when Google's corporate motto was "Don't Be Evil"
that was a quaint time
www.cbc.ca/radio/ideas/...
that was a quaint time
www.cbc.ca/radio/ideas/...
Data is 'sticky,' there's way too much, and we don't control it, warns political scientist | CBC Radio
In this digital age, we must think of ourselves as stakeholders, playing a vital role in the creation of data, says Wendy H. Wong. She is a political scientist and winner of the 2024 Balsillie Prize f...
www.cbc.ca
December 7, 2025 at 1:45 PM
remember when Google's corporate motto was "Don't Be Evil"
that was a quaint time
www.cbc.ca/radio/ideas/...
that was a quaint time
www.cbc.ca/radio/ideas/...
I reminded of the fact that in the 1920's Germany had the most respected Universities in science & technology worldwide.
Then Hitler dismantled any institution that would not bend to his ideology & corrupted the rest.
When did German Universities recover from that? They have not entirely yet.
Then Hitler dismantled any institution that would not bend to his ideology & corrupted the rest.
When did German Universities recover from that? They have not entirely yet.
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...
December 7, 2025 at 1:10 PM
I reminded of the fact that in the 1920's Germany had the most respected Universities in science & technology worldwide.
Then Hitler dismantled any institution that would not bend to his ideology & corrupted the rest.
When did German Universities recover from that? They have not entirely yet.
Then Hitler dismantled any institution that would not bend to his ideology & corrupted the rest.
When did German Universities recover from that? They have not entirely yet.
I mean, for real Doughnuts box,
we just met and you haven't even bought me a drink.
we just met and you haven't even bought me a drink.
December 6, 2025 at 6:50 PM
I mean, for real Doughnuts box,
we just met and you haven't even bought me a drink.
we just met and you haven't even bought me a drink.