How organizations are like slime molds. “There’s a hidden force that makes life in successful organizations increasingly miserable. It’s invisible, so we either don’t see it… or we at least pretend not to. But the force is inescapable and affects […]
The last days of social media. Here’s a missive about the end of the era of social media, the start of the AI-generated content swamp era that we’re in now, and a hope for a future where someone has created […]
Steel wheels instead of rubber tires. “The trouble with rubber tires, especially on heavy vehicles that operate in harsh conditions, is that they wear out quickly. In the case of working mining vehicles, that means replacing tires every 6-9 months, […]
Microwave weapon downs 49 drones with a single blast. “Named after the Spartan king who held off a Persian invasion with a vastly inferior force at the Battle of Thermopylae, Leonidas is one of a family of weapons based on […]
The case for insane asylums. This is probably controversial and borderline political, but I will share anyway. “a recounting of recent attacks by the insane, a history of america’s attempts to deal with severe mental illness, and an argument for […]
Per capita energy-related CO2 emissions down in every US state. Between the years 2005 and 2023 the average decrease is -30%, driven by a shift away from coal power plants. “In Maryland, coal and natural gas accounted for 56% and […]
Your phone already has social credit. “The only difference between your phone and China’s social credit system is that China tells you what they’re doing. We pretend our algorithmic reputation scores are just “user experience features.” At least Beijing admits […]
Fishing tournament uses lie detector test. “B.A.S.S. officials announced the disqualification of Elite Series angler KJ Queen from the 2025 Pro-Guide Batteries Bassmaster Elite at Mississippi River event, following two failed credibility assessments administered via polygraph. In addition to the […]
Austin City Council bingo drama. “While constituents are expressing comments and concerns in front of their elected officials, a former staff member for an Austin City Council member said some council staff are playing constituent ‘bingo’ behind the scenes.” This […]
Why do AI proof-of-concepts keep failing in corporations? “The researchers found that “AI and radiologist predictions are somewhat correlated, but radiologists don’t take this correlation into account.” This concept of correlated uncertainty represents a fundamental blind spot in how humans […]