Gail Swanson
@joyinthecenter.bsky.social
Founder of Haymarket Studio
UX | Trauma-informed Design | User Research | Writer | Artist
I ask a lot of questions.
Subscribe https://haymarketstudio.beehiiv.com
https://linktr.ee/haymarketstudio
UX | Trauma-informed Design | User Research | Writer | Artist
I ask a lot of questions.
Subscribe https://haymarketstudio.beehiiv.com
https://linktr.ee/haymarketstudio
So…did the US just take over Venezuela? Wild that the people with the bombs are unaccountable to its people.
Perhaps all of Congress needs to be ousted for dereliction of duty. They certainly have failed to hold the executive branch to any account.
Perhaps all of Congress needs to be ousted for dereliction of duty. They certainly have failed to hold the executive branch to any account.
January 3, 2026 at 6:39 PM
So…did the US just take over Venezuela? Wild that the people with the bombs are unaccountable to its people.
Perhaps all of Congress needs to be ousted for dereliction of duty. They certainly have failed to hold the executive branch to any account.
Perhaps all of Congress needs to be ousted for dereliction of duty. They certainly have failed to hold the executive branch to any account.
Reposted by Gail Swanson
If 2025 didn't stop you nothing will
January 1, 2026 at 10:55 AM
If 2025 didn't stop you nothing will
Just submitted my first poetry manuscript to a competition.
Happy to add that to my 2025 accomplishments list.
Happy to add that to my 2025 accomplishments list.
January 1, 2026 at 4:01 AM
Just submitted my first poetry manuscript to a competition.
Happy to add that to my 2025 accomplishments list.
Happy to add that to my 2025 accomplishments list.
Homesteading is an impressive rebrand.
I remember when it was “living out in the country”, and homesteading was when settlers massacred indigenous people to steal their land.
I remember when it was “living out in the country”, and homesteading was when settlers massacred indigenous people to steal their land.
December 31, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Homesteading is an impressive rebrand.
I remember when it was “living out in the country”, and homesteading was when settlers massacred indigenous people to steal their land.
I remember when it was “living out in the country”, and homesteading was when settlers massacred indigenous people to steal their land.
It seems that most people seem to have profound detachment between their civic actions and their daily lives. Politics is the same as rooting for your favorite sportsball team rather than consequential for themselves and their communities.
Have Americans succumbed to learned helplessness?
Have Americans succumbed to learned helplessness?
December 31, 2025 at 3:53 PM
It seems that most people seem to have profound detachment between their civic actions and their daily lives. Politics is the same as rooting for your favorite sportsball team rather than consequential for themselves and their communities.
Have Americans succumbed to learned helplessness?
Have Americans succumbed to learned helplessness?
Again and again they show us that they are playing “being in power”. It’s cosplay to them. People who have never had consequences of their actions imposed upon them treat their work like it doesn’t impact people’s lives.
This is the one that really gets me. Hegseth treated a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart as a photo op, putting on makeup, telling an aide to “look commanding.” When the Ukrainian asked for honesty about what was going to happen, Hegseth refused to answer, just nodded for the photo. Hollow man.
December 31, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Again and again they show us that they are playing “being in power”. It’s cosplay to them. People who have never had consequences of their actions imposed upon them treat their work like it doesn’t impact people’s lives.
😢
Sheeee-it
December 31, 2025 at 3:17 AM
😢
Reposted by Gail Swanson
Open AI is moving through the stages of enshittification at record speed.
“This could look like a user asking how much ibuprofen to take for a headache receiving a promoted ad for Advil in the chatbot’s response. Meanwhile, actual results on correct dosage may be brushed to the side, or buried under a mountain of ad text…”
OpenAI Reportedly Planning to Make ChatGPT "Prioritize" Advertisers in Conversation
OpenAI employees working on ChatGPT report plans to unleash sponsored advertisements above organic results.
futurism.com
December 31, 2025 at 3:15 AM
Open AI is moving through the stages of enshittification at record speed.
Transferred domain names to new host and successfully troubleshot email configurations. Please clap
December 29, 2025 at 7:48 PM
Transferred domain names to new host and successfully troubleshot email configurations. Please clap
I think we can confidently call the whole nation-state experiment a fail in terms of benefit to humanity. Non-stop wars, poverty, subjugation of peoples…it’s a perpetual misery machine.
Who’s up for trying something else?
Who’s up for trying something else?
December 26, 2025 at 5:29 PM
I think we can confidently call the whole nation-state experiment a fail in terms of benefit to humanity. Non-stop wars, poverty, subjugation of peoples…it’s a perpetual misery machine.
Who’s up for trying something else?
Who’s up for trying something else?
This year I am responding to events appropriately by not baking Xmas treats and making diner reservations instead of laboring in the kitchen. I’ve honored my capacity.
Thoughtful gifts for my kids are under the tree. I am hopeful for a cheerful morning.
Thoughtful gifts for my kids are under the tree. I am hopeful for a cheerful morning.
December 25, 2025 at 6:24 AM
This year I am responding to events appropriately by not baking Xmas treats and making diner reservations instead of laboring in the kitchen. I’ve honored my capacity.
Thoughtful gifts for my kids are under the tree. I am hopeful for a cheerful morning.
Thoughtful gifts for my kids are under the tree. I am hopeful for a cheerful morning.
I dream of a housing situation where I don’t hear a neighbor’s music through the walls. Or their conversations for that matter.
December 25, 2025 at 1:29 AM
I dream of a housing situation where I don’t hear a neighbor’s music through the walls. Or their conversations for that matter.
Turns out I mistakenly put the grocery bag in the dumpster instead of unpacking it. Some items have been rescued.
December 24, 2025 at 7:48 PM
Turns out I mistakenly put the grocery bag in the dumpster instead of unpacking it. Some items have been rescued.
My brain is holiday broken. I know I bought hand soaps. I put it on the kitchen counter.
Can’t find the hand soaps. Cue nonsense holiday prep anxiety attack.
Can’t find the hand soaps. Cue nonsense holiday prep anxiety attack.
December 24, 2025 at 6:17 PM
My brain is holiday broken. I know I bought hand soaps. I put it on the kitchen counter.
Can’t find the hand soaps. Cue nonsense holiday prep anxiety attack.
Can’t find the hand soaps. Cue nonsense holiday prep anxiety attack.
Reposted by Gail Swanson
Sigh. Once again, if you are warning us about fascism while posting on Substack you’re asking us to do work YOU 👏 ARE 👏 NOT 👏 WILLING 👏 TO 👏 DO.
December 24, 2025 at 5:27 PM
Sigh. Once again, if you are warning us about fascism while posting on Substack you’re asking us to do work YOU 👏 ARE 👏 NOT 👏 WILLING 👏 TO 👏 DO.
Reposted by Gail Swanson
Gonna drop this here since I created it: leavesubstack.com
You Should Probably Leave Substack
You should probably leave Substack. Here’s why and how.
leavesubstack.com
December 24, 2025 at 5:44 PM
Gonna drop this here since I created it: leavesubstack.com
I’ve noticed whenever AI spokesmen are pressed on real concerns about these products, they recharacterize concern as being “fear of the future and change”. It’s a crafty propaganda technique and effective.
I’m not afraid of current AI. I see the grift that it currently is, and I’m not on board.
I’m not afraid of current AI. I see the grift that it currently is, and I’m not on board.
December 23, 2025 at 12:53 AM
I’ve noticed whenever AI spokesmen are pressed on real concerns about these products, they recharacterize concern as being “fear of the future and change”. It’s a crafty propaganda technique and effective.
I’m not afraid of current AI. I see the grift that it currently is, and I’m not on board.
I’m not afraid of current AI. I see the grift that it currently is, and I’m not on board.
Just read this after watching the first episode of Pluribus. I’ve never had good timing.
The atomic ensemble time scale at the NIST Boulder campus has failed.
December 21, 2025 at 12:30 AM
Just read this after watching the first episode of Pluribus. I’ve never had good timing.
Reposted by Gail Swanson
Color me shocked.
Doctors Catch Cancer-Diagnosing AI Extracting Patients' Race Data and Being Racist With It
A new study reveals an alarming bias present in four leading AI cancer screening tools, related to race, gender, and age.
futurism.com
December 20, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Color me shocked.
Reposted by Gail Swanson
Epstein and Ghislaine inherited Robert Maxwell’s blackmail business.
“Investing” in Epstein’s “hedge fund” was either payment for providing blackmail material (eg Trump peepee tapes to the KGB) or protection from release (The Price formerly known as Andrew)
european-security.com/the-cesspool...
“Investing” in Epstein’s “hedge fund” was either payment for providing blackmail material (eg Trump peepee tapes to the KGB) or protection from release (The Price formerly known as Andrew)
european-security.com/the-cesspool...
Cesspool and Chaos: the Russian Connection in the Epstein Affair - European Security
In this explosive article, French historian Françoise Thom highlights the close relationship between the late financier Jeffrey Epstein and the father of his accomplice Ghislaine, Robert Maxwell, the ...
european-security.com
December 19, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Epstein and Ghislaine inherited Robert Maxwell’s blackmail business.
“Investing” in Epstein’s “hedge fund” was either payment for providing blackmail material (eg Trump peepee tapes to the KGB) or protection from release (The Price formerly known as Andrew)
european-security.com/the-cesspool...
“Investing” in Epstein’s “hedge fund” was either payment for providing blackmail material (eg Trump peepee tapes to the KGB) or protection from release (The Price formerly known as Andrew)
european-security.com/the-cesspool...
Looking to make a donation to a great cause? Our kids need this program. Your generosity can help get it launched.
www.ashleylaurenelrod.com/mayasmagicword
www.ashleylaurenelrod.com/mayasmagicword
Ashley-Lauren Elrod I Books I Maya's Magic Word
Maya’s Magic Word, written by Ashley-Lauren Elrod, empowers children to use their voice, build confidence, and set boundaries—an inspiring tale of courage, kindness, and self-worth.
www.ashleylaurenelrod.com
December 19, 2025 at 10:32 PM
Looking to make a donation to a great cause? Our kids need this program. Your generosity can help get it launched.
www.ashleylaurenelrod.com/mayasmagicword
www.ashleylaurenelrod.com/mayasmagicword
The Poetry Foundation has had its problems over the years, but this takes the cake. What are you even for? Moving money, that’s all.
www.poetryfoundation.org/articles/174...
www.poetryfoundation.org/articles/174...
Evolving Our Work
Poems, readings, poetry news and the entire 110-year archive of POETRY magazine.
www.poetryfoundation.org
December 19, 2025 at 5:54 PM
The Poetry Foundation has had its problems over the years, but this takes the cake. What are you even for? Moving money, that’s all.
www.poetryfoundation.org/articles/174...
www.poetryfoundation.org/articles/174...
Reposted by Gail Swanson
This is great
"This promise of an AI future, is really just a collective anxiety that wealthy people have about how well they're gonna be able to control us in the future."
- @tressiemcphd.bsky.social with an absolute mic drop moment about AI bullshit.
Incredible words.
Listen to all of it!
- @tressiemcphd.bsky.social with an absolute mic drop moment about AI bullshit.
Incredible words.
Listen to all of it!
December 19, 2025 at 1:24 PM
This is great
And this is why gender diversity in STEM fields is not a pipeline problem. More women go into these fields of study and careers than men. We just don’t stay because these places are openly hostile to our presence.
People are willing to forgo a significant portion of their earnings—between 12-36% of their wages—to avoid hostile work environments.
Women exhibit a stronger aversion to exclusionary workplaces and environments with sexual harassment.
Women exhibit a stronger aversion to exclusionary workplaces and environments with sexual harassment.
December 18, 2025 at 6:00 PM
And this is why gender diversity in STEM fields is not a pipeline problem. More women go into these fields of study and careers than men. We just don’t stay because these places are openly hostile to our presence.
I’m seeing more people putting together events and programs to shape design into a field that helps make the world better rather than just get products to market, and I’m thrilled!
Throughline has put together something special. Check it out www.throughlineconf.com
Throughline has put together something special. Check it out www.throughlineconf.com
Throughline | A new UX conference from Active Voice
Let's write design's next chapter—on January 29 and 30, 2026. Throughline is a virtual conference for UX and product designers, researchers, UX writers, and anyone else who wants to figure out where d...
www.throughlineconf.com
December 18, 2025 at 5:54 PM
I’m seeing more people putting together events and programs to shape design into a field that helps make the world better rather than just get products to market, and I’m thrilled!
Throughline has put together something special. Check it out www.throughlineconf.com
Throughline has put together something special. Check it out www.throughlineconf.com