Critical Root Zone
@crz512.bsky.social
Reposted by Critical Root Zone
This reflective acrylic sheet shows how 1980s illustrators were able to trace real-life objects on the computer. Once it was aligned, it reflected whatever was in front of it over the monitor's display, allowing artists to trace it in a tool like MacPaint or MS Paint. Simple, low tech and effective.
January 5, 2026 at 5:09 PM
This reflective acrylic sheet shows how 1980s illustrators were able to trace real-life objects on the computer. Once it was aligned, it reflected whatever was in front of it over the monitor's display, allowing artists to trace it in a tool like MacPaint or MS Paint. Simple, low tech and effective.
Reposted by Critical Root Zone
You should leave Substack in 2026, because they platform fascists regularly, but even before that I am *begging* you to stop referring to your writing as "my Substack" because why give them that agency. It's your writing, your posts, your words, on their platform.
January 3, 2026 at 3:54 AM
You should leave Substack in 2026, because they platform fascists regularly, but even before that I am *begging* you to stop referring to your writing as "my Substack" because why give them that agency. It's your writing, your posts, your words, on their platform.
Reposted by Critical Root Zone
Under Irish law Musk can be jailed for 12 months for being a director of a company distributing CSAM. Section 9 of the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act 1998. 'X' is a company registered in Ireland.
January 2, 2026 at 1:57 PM
Under Irish law Musk can be jailed for 12 months for being a director of a company distributing CSAM. Section 9 of the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act 1998. 'X' is a company registered in Ireland.
Reposted by Critical Root Zone
Wait… transit ridership in Austin (and other cities) dropped by half in the 22-year period from 2002-2024? I’m surprised I was unaware of this.
As 2025 winds down, here at the top USA transit performers for calendar year 2024, based on full-year average daily ridership from the FTA NTD. This includes all transit modes reported to the FTA: bus, rail, commuter rail, inclined planes, etc.
Love to see Honolulu and Las Vegas running laps...
Love to see Honolulu and Las Vegas running laps...
December 29, 2025 at 3:47 AM
Wait… transit ridership in Austin (and other cities) dropped by half in the 22-year period from 2002-2024? I’m surprised I was unaware of this.
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If you want a vision of the future, imagine a robot kicking itself in the balls - forever.
another robot highlight for 2025: man wearing humanoid mocap suit kicks himself in the balls
December 27, 2025 at 6:13 PM
If you want a vision of the future, imagine a robot kicking itself in the balls - forever.
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Trump: I am fine. You sound beautiful and cute. How old are you?
Caller: I am eight
Caller: I am eight
December 24, 2025 at 9:55 PM
Trump: I am fine. You sound beautiful and cute. How old are you?
Caller: I am eight
Caller: I am eight
Reposted by Critical Root Zone
Waiting for the Fat Man
Lou Reed and John Cale enjoying the hell out of the holiday season.
Lou Reed and John Cale enjoying the hell out of the holiday season.
December 22, 2023 at 1:06 AM
Waiting for the Fat Man
Lou Reed and John Cale enjoying the hell out of the holiday season.
Lou Reed and John Cale enjoying the hell out of the holiday season.
Reposted by Critical Root Zone
Their plan is to weaponize fake victimhood in order to drive out trans people from the teaching profession : « religious freedom » arguments always boil down to the freedom to discriminate. The paper she wrote was a deliberate attempt to troll, and it worked like a charm.
A graduate teaching assistant who gave a University of Oklahoma student a failing grade on a psychology essay will no longer be teaching at the university
Graduate instructor who gave failing grade to Samantha Fulnecky no longer teaching at OU
A graduate teaching assistant who gave a University of Oklahoma student a failing grade on a psychology essay will no longer be teaching at the university.
www.koco.com
December 23, 2025 at 4:09 AM
Their plan is to weaponize fake victimhood in order to drive out trans people from the teaching profession : « religious freedom » arguments always boil down to the freedom to discriminate. The paper she wrote was a deliberate attempt to troll, and it worked like a charm.
I'm embarrassed at how my alma mater handled this complaint of religious discrimination. “The graduate teaching assistant will no longer have instructional duties at the University.” www.oudaily.com/news/ou-bibl...
OU concludes Bible-based essay investigation, graduate instructor to no longer have instructional duties
A graduate instructor who was placed on administrative leave after failing a Bible-based essay in an online psychology course will no longer have instructional duties at OU, according to a
www.oudaily.com
December 23, 2025 at 3:50 AM
I'm embarrassed at how my alma mater handled this complaint of religious discrimination. “The graduate teaching assistant will no longer have instructional duties at the University.” www.oudaily.com/news/ou-bibl...
Reposted by Critical Root Zone
The Olivia Nuzzi story and the Bari Weiss at CBS story are the same story, which is that the upper echelons of legacy media are absolutely rife with people who worship power and don't feel burdened by any sense of responsibility to their profession or the public.
December 22, 2025 at 6:35 PM
The Olivia Nuzzi story and the Bari Weiss at CBS story are the same story, which is that the upper echelons of legacy media are absolutely rife with people who worship power and don't feel burdened by any sense of responsibility to their profession or the public.
Reposted by Critical Root Zone
We pulled this one out of the paywall for today, because, well
From October 2025: “I might invoke Edward R. Murrow, but they remember him. They don’t have any goodwill toward you. They don’t know who you are at all. And they are not going to defend you when you screw up.”
Read more from @lopatto.bsky.social:
Read more from @lopatto.bsky.social:
Memo to Bari Weiss Re: CBS News: You’re doomed
Bari Weiss has sold her company, The Free Press, to manage the decline of broadcast news at CBS. How many ways can it go wrong?
www.theverge.com
December 22, 2025 at 5:16 PM
We pulled this one out of the paywall for today, because, well
Reposted by Critical Root Zone
Help needed for class prep: What are your favorite readings (journal, book, post) and listens/watches (podcast ep, YouTube vid, etc) on smart cities, especially V2X technologies?
@norton.bsky.social and @parismarx.com I'm already using your books, but if you have a fave episode or post, lmk! 🙏
@norton.bsky.social and @parismarx.com I'm already using your books, but if you have a fave episode or post, lmk! 🙏
December 21, 2025 at 8:13 PM
Help needed for class prep: What are your favorite readings (journal, book, post) and listens/watches (podcast ep, YouTube vid, etc) on smart cities, especially V2X technologies?
@norton.bsky.social and @parismarx.com I'm already using your books, but if you have a fave episode or post, lmk! 🙏
@norton.bsky.social and @parismarx.com I'm already using your books, but if you have a fave episode or post, lmk! 🙏
Reposted by Critical Root Zone
"So with a few rolls of duct tape and a craft knife he took it upon himself to create some eye-catching signage."
Duct-Tape Typographer Shuetsu Sato Honored With Design Award
Shuetsu Sato began working as a security guard at Shinjuku Station in 2002. With constant construction and infrastructure upgrades, it was Sato’s job to redirect crowds using a megaphone. However, he ...
spoon-tamago.com
December 21, 2025 at 8:29 PM
"So with a few rolls of duct tape and a craft knife he took it upon himself to create some eye-catching signage."
Reposted by Critical Root Zone
Absolutely right.
AI might be able to summarize (poorly) what we currently know, but a major goal of historical research is to find the hidden surprises out there.
Let me illustrate …
AI might be able to summarize (poorly) what we currently know, but a major goal of historical research is to find the hidden surprises out there.
Let me illustrate …
Not a historian but like to research. The AI might summarize what I'm looking for, but it doesn't find what I'm *not* looking for. The book on the shelf next to the one I wanted. The insight in chapter 6 based on the quote I needed from chapter 4.
December 21, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Absolutely right.
AI might be able to summarize (poorly) what we currently know, but a major goal of historical research is to find the hidden surprises out there.
Let me illustrate …
AI might be able to summarize (poorly) what we currently know, but a major goal of historical research is to find the hidden surprises out there.
Let me illustrate …
Reposted by Critical Root Zone
One of the many problems with the term "AI" is that it doens't refer to a coherent set of technologies, rather lumping together different types of automation.
>>
>>
December 19, 2025 at 9:11 AM
One of the many problems with the term "AI" is that it doens't refer to a coherent set of technologies, rather lumping together different types of automation.
>>
>>
Reposted by Critical Root Zone
"In other words, once the four AI tools locked onto a person’s age, race, or gender, those factors would form the backbone of the tissue analysis. In effect, AI would go on to replicate bias resulting from gaps in AI training data."
December 20, 2025 at 3:26 PM
"In other words, once the four AI tools locked onto a person’s age, race, or gender, those factors would form the backbone of the tissue analysis. In effect, AI would go on to replicate bias resulting from gaps in AI training data."
Reposted by Critical Root Zone
Former NSA employee (16 years) with a pro tip for you. Released controlled document on the left, Epstein on the right. See the difference?
In real redactions, some words, headers, and bits will almost always still be visible, but especially classification headers. These documents are UNCLASSIFIED
In real redactions, some words, headers, and bits will almost always still be visible, but especially classification headers. These documents are UNCLASSIFIED
December 20, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Former NSA employee (16 years) with a pro tip for you. Released controlled document on the left, Epstein on the right. See the difference?
In real redactions, some words, headers, and bits will almost always still be visible, but especially classification headers. These documents are UNCLASSIFIED
In real redactions, some words, headers, and bits will almost always still be visible, but especially classification headers. These documents are UNCLASSIFIED
Reposted by Critical Root Zone
i'm finding about new forms of bigotry i didn't realize still existed talkingpointsmemo.com/news/kennedy...
GOP Senator Grills Trump Nominee on Statement that Marriage Is Not Intended for Disabled People
Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA), a generally reliable Republican foot soldier, grilled a...
talkingpointsmemo.com
December 18, 2025 at 6:26 PM
i'm finding about new forms of bigotry i didn't realize still existed talkingpointsmemo.com/news/kennedy...
Reposted by Critical Root Zone
Lazy Sunday debuted 20 years ago tonight.
Lazy Sunday - SNL Digital Short
YouTube video by Saturday Night Live
www.youtube.com
December 18, 2025 at 2:05 AM
Lazy Sunday debuted 20 years ago tonight.
Reposted by Critical Root Zone
one of the dumbest things I've ever read
www.wired.com/story/people...
www.wired.com/story/people...
December 17, 2025 at 4:12 PM
one of the dumbest things I've ever read
www.wired.com/story/people...
www.wired.com/story/people...
Reposted by Critical Root Zone
New in the Crónica Archive, a treasure trove of videos, including the 2011 “Mic.Madeira” DVD by Simon Whetham & Hugo Olim, now recovered and available online. www.cronicaelectronica.org/archive/ @simonwhetham.bsky.social
December 16, 2025 at 5:19 PM
New in the Crónica Archive, a treasure trove of videos, including the 2011 “Mic.Madeira” DVD by Simon Whetham & Hugo Olim, now recovered and available online. www.cronicaelectronica.org/archive/ @simonwhetham.bsky.social
OMG, we have DPS troopers in tactical gear supervising the restrooms at the Capitol now?
www.texastribune.org/2025/12/12/t...
www.texastribune.org/2025/12/12/t...
Enforcement of Texas’ bathroom bill draws challenges
In its first week, one group’s test of the new restrictions was met with ID checks at women’s restrooms at the Capitol while the Austin City Council moved to circumvent the law's intent.
www.texastribune.org
December 16, 2025 at 3:52 PM
OMG, we have DPS troopers in tactical gear supervising the restrooms at the Capitol now?
www.texastribune.org/2025/12/12/t...
www.texastribune.org/2025/12/12/t...
Well I’m OK with this… I guess.
Texas is suing all of the big TV makers for spying on what you watch
Texas is suing all of the big TV makers for spying on what you watch
TVs made by Sony, Samsung, LG, Hisense, and TCL are part of a ‘mass surveillance system,’ Attorney General Ken Paxton alleges.
buff.ly
December 16, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Well I’m OK with this… I guess.
Reposted by Critical Root Zone
As soon as Trump dies you'll be able to cue up the second half of "Layla" and watch these people all do their best to destroy each other. It's gonna be outstanding.
December 16, 2025 at 2:45 PM
As soon as Trump dies you'll be able to cue up the second half of "Layla" and watch these people all do their best to destroy each other. It's gonna be outstanding.