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Edmund Schweppe

@edschweppe.bsky.social

Making software better, and making better software. Ex-ET1/SS USN. Beware the puns. Also, make sure your images have alt text (turn on "require alt text before posting" under Settings/Accessibility); blowing off alt text is a great way to get blocked.

1962 Posts557 Follower232 Folgt
Micro SF/F by O. Westin@microsff.com · 13h ago

The label said 'time machine'. "Does it work?" "Bah," professor Contretemps said. "It sends a message into the future, where it is reflected back, and receives it instantly." "Wow!" "Useless. You just see what you write." "Does the sender and receiver have to be in the same place?" "No. Why?"

Sonya with a Y 🏳️‍⚧️ 🔞@sonyathemoo.bsky.social · yesterday

Instead of reading anything Harry Potter related, read Discworld. It's got so much more creativity, soul, and wit than the stupid Wizard series, and Terry Pratchett was an amazing human being who is missed dearly.

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ForeverEvanescent 🇵🇸@foreverevanescent.bsky.social · yesterday

Instead of reading anything Harry Potter related, read Percy Jackson, which is and has always been better than Harry Potter in almost every conceivable way.

Micro SF/F by O. Westin@microsff.com · yesterday

"To prove you are a hero, you must slay a dragon." "They're all dead." "Well, then you must slay a dragonslayer." "They're also all dead." "Dragonslayerslayers?" "There's one left." "Great! Then-" "He's ninetyseven years old. Listen, I just want to help people." "I guess that'll have to do."

Scott Lynch@scottlynch78.bsky.social · 2d ago

If I want to start arguments I sometimes say that science fiction isn't a literature of prediction, it's a literature of extrapolated consequences. If it's 1890, "in the future there will be cars" is boring-ass mere prediction. "Because of cars there will be vast traffic jams" is extrapolation. 🧵

John Scalzi@scalzi.com · 3d ago

Science fiction writers miss a bunch of things/overinvest in other things because science fiction writers are shit at predicting the future. The ambitious ones attempt allegory, but mostly we're making up cool shit we think can sell to an editor. If we could predict the future, we'd be investors.

Micro SF/F by O. Westin@microsff.com · 2d ago

People, young and old, came to the witch for directions. "I seek adventure." "I seek wisdom." "I need a place to feel at home." "I feel like I need to cry, but I can't." The witch listened, and told all where to find what they sought. And the local library thrived. #CrossRepost

Micro SF/F by O. Westin@microsff.com · 3d ago

Captain Clever tore Dr. Dastard's door open. He held a press release. "Is this true?" "Yes. I'm donating my fortune to things governments won't fund, like women's shelters and trans support." "Why?" "People call me a tech billionaire. Feh! I'm a villain, not a villainaire! And stop hugging me!"

Aliette de Bodard@aliettedebodard.com · 4d ago

👏 👏 "In short, thinking remains the sine qua non of good lawyering (and of a quality legal education)"

Leonore (Lee) Carpenter @leecarpenter.bsky.social · 5d ago

In case you are an academic who is currently being gaslit into believing that you're a caveman who wants their students to be jobless if you resist allowing AI in your classrooms... I present to you Berkeley Law's response, which can be summarized as "Fuck off directly into the sun."

Micro SF/F by O. Westin@microsff.com · 4d ago

"What's your body count?" the emperor said. The assassin almost choked on his tea. "Pardon?" "How many people have you killed?" "Also a personal question." "Either way, I'm sure mine is higher." "So?" "I'm sorry." "You don't say for what." The assassin stood. "But I'll let you live. Again."

Micro SF/F by O. Westin@microsff.com · 4d ago

The fairy presented the contract. "As discussed, you will get inner peace for the rest of your natural life, in exchange for your firstborn." "Correction," the boy said. "My father will get inner peace, in exchange for me, his firstborn." "Ah! You have siblings?" "And a mother." "Very well."

John Scalzi@scalzi.com · 5d ago

I just typed out a comment to a post, re-read it, thought "Oh, right, I'll look like a fucking creep if I post that" and then deleted it, which is a reminder that the reason I came up with "The failure mode of 'clever' is 'asshole'" is because I need the warning as much if not more than other folks

Micro SF/F by O. Westin@microsff.com · 5d ago

"Yoink!" the dragon said. "That's mine now." I took a breath to protest but was distracted by being able to take a breath. I took a few more, without a coughing fit. "You healed me?" "Pff. Why would I do that? I stole your cough for my hoard." "You hoard illnesses? I can help you find more!"

Kathryn Tewson@kathryntewson.bsky.social · last wk.

My beloved husband notes that this means that if you’re sick of Kalshi ads, you can maybe make them go away starting next week by using a VPN that gives you a Washington IP

Kathryn Tewson@kathryntewson.bsky.social · last wk.

Third, another hot one. Kalshi has to stop “marketing, advertising, promoting, conducting, operating, facilitating, distributing, offering, or accepting” nearly all their “prediction market contracts” in this state.

(3) Kalshi shall cease marketing, advertising, promoting, conducting, operating, facilitating, distributing, offering, or accepting event contracts, or other contracts, instruments, or products in Washington, related to sports, elections, politics, entertainment, culture, tech and science, or mentions, including but not limited to those listed in the "Sports," "Elections," "Politics," "Culture," "Tech and Science," and "Mentions" tabs on Defendant's platform. This does not include bets in the following categories, "Commodities," "Climate," Economics," and "Finance." The prohibition on marketing and advertising set forth above applies to Kalshi locally advertising and marketing that is targeted to Washington or Washington residents. In addition, Kalshi shall make good faith efforts to exclude Washington from nationwide advertising or marketing campaigns to the extent it is technologically feasible to do so.
Micro SF/F by O. Westin@microsff.com · 2w ago

"I'm sure you know this," the swordmaster said, "but to be a good teacher, you must be a good listener." "Mm-hm," said the witch. "And if you are a good listener, people will talk to you." "Not all." "No. But those who nobody listens to..." "Yes." "It's... heavy." "You can send some to me."