In an absolutely heroic feat of both planning and self control, we made lasagne today, for TOMORROW's dinner.

Dishonourable mention to Madame Bovary and Death of the most tediously banal salesman. My kid did a book with vivid descriptions of the taliban cutting off people's hands and wearing them on necklaces in year 7. She was 12. The year 10s at my school were doing handmaid's tale.

Kingfisher & Wombat@tkingfisher.com · 24h ago

I swear to God, part of the problem of literacy is that we make kids read SO MANY books like this. Of course they’re going to associate reading with misery! We put them in a Skinner box and shock them when they read, what did people THINK would happen?

Can we reshape our education system to build stronger critical thinking muscles? Only with authentic problems! adsei.org/2026/08/04/b...

Building our critical thinking muscles

The flood of misinformation online is not going away any time soon. We could slow its spread by regulating all technology platforms to kill engagement based algorithms, but our government seems to …

adsei.org

My desk has officially reached teetering tower of doom status. I am too afraid to tidy it now.

"I don't understand why you, a fantasy writer, don't appreciate the value of making bargains with the fae."

John Scalzi@scalzi.com · 2d ago

Every now and then someone takes a run at me along the lines of "I don't understand why you, a scifi writer, don't appreciate 'AI'," and I'm all, motherfucker, it's *because* I'm a science fiction writer I have the positions I have, how many times do we have to fucking yell "torment nexus," my dude

"Why can't you just appreciate how revolutionary the job-taking, environment-degrading, information-shredding, technology-hoarding, economy-swamping machine is?" My brother in Christ, there may indeed be a revolution in part because of "AI," but it might not be the one you wanted.

I am developing a theory that the people who are resistant to AI are the people who are uncomfortable with praise.

Regulate tech to force them to detoxify their algorithms. Don't regulate people's use of tech, it won't work.

Ben Schwarz@benschwarz.bsky.social · 2d ago

Australia’s eSafety commissioner buried a report (released Friday afternoon) that shows the under 16 social media ban didn’t tangibly reduce teen social media use, and also resulted in parents tuning out of kids usage. We traded our privacy for no reason. theconversation.com/more-than-80...

Modern-Day Oracles or Bullshit Machines? Jevin West (@jevinwest.bsky.social) and I have spent the last eight months developing the course on large language models (LLMs) that we think every college freshman needs to take. thebullshitmachines.com

INTRODUCTION

thebullshitmachines.com

"give me your ideas for..." "I asked ai and..." THOSE ARE NOT YOUR IDEAS. If I wanted to ask a statistical plagiarism machine I'd do it myself. I do not.

Naarm/Melbourne has again showed up in force to protest Israeli atrocity in Gaza and the West Bank, grotesque Australian government and corporate complicity, and the silence and indifference of the husks posing as human among us. From the river to the sea.

Would protect with my life

In Otter News@in-otter-news.bsky.social · 4d ago

BREAKING NEWS: Look at this otter. He's sleeping!

1. We—@eduede.bsky.social, @mjcrockett.bsky.social, Kevin Gross, and I—have a new preprint on the arXiv today, based on ideas that emerged during an @sfiscience.bsky.social workshop in November 2024: The unintended consequences of large language models as a labor-augmenting technology in science.

The unintended consequences of large language models as a labor-augmenting technology in science

As a labor-augmenting technology, large language models (LLMs) have the potential to accelerate scientific activity across the research pipeline. But even if LLMs perform on par with human experts at ...

arxiv.org

rebelling against the cold by roasting veggies. Today it's potato, zucchini, and carrots. All with tajin, which is my favourite magic ingredient.

5:50pm Friday night. Oof. that was a week.

@datasciau.bsky.social submission to the Australian Parliamentary Inquiry into AI & Data Centres. Submissions are open until September 1st, so it's not too late to have your say! adsei.org/2026/07/31/a...

ADSEI Submission to the Parliamentary Inquiry into Artificial Intelligence and Data Centres

This is the ADSEI submission to the Australian Parliamentary Inquiry into Artificial Intelligence and Data Centres. The Australian Data Science Education Institute has significant concerns about th…

adsei.org

I don't need women to know they're safe with me - I need misogynists to know THEY'RE not safe. I don't need people with disabilities to know they're safe with me - I need ableists to know THEY'RE not safe. This is what it takes. Not being some self-professed ally, but calling out the shitbirds.

I don't need POC to know they're safe with me - I need racists to know THEY'RE not safe. I don't need queer folk to know they're safe with me - I need homophobes to know THEY'RE not safe. I don't need trans folks to know they're safe with me - I need transphobes to know THEY'RE not safe.

Very proud of @datasciau.bsky.social board member Karen Lamb! A truly remarkable human being, and a wonderful colleague and friend.

Karen Lamb@kelamb.bsky.social · last wk.

🎉 Delighted to be one of the 2026 Eureka Finalists! Huge congratulations to all other finalists! Thanks so much to my nominators for your support @nicolewhite.bsky.social, David Price, Lizzie Korevaar, @jesskasza.bsky.social, Julie Simpson, Sabine Braat and Ximena Camacho! @mischhub.bsky.social

love this report on ai in healthcare from @drwaus.bsky.social digitalrightswatch.org.au/ai-scribe-re... I have written about these issues before. strongly back this campaign!

🧵Spotted on the Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever in Aotearoa New Zealand: A dance instructor, dressed in red, is directing a crowd in a practice run of Kate Bush's Wuthering Heights dance. It's all going bonkers. Legs wiff-waffling through the air. Arms flippy-flapping. Ridiculous fun. (1)

🧵Spotted at an Italian Film Festival Opening Night in Aotearoa New Zealand: A woman (50s?) is offered a paper cup of complimentary tiramisu as she walks into the cinema and exclaims: "Terrible Sue?! Touches my lips and goes on my hips?! Of COURSE I'll have some!" (1)

🧵Spotted While Roaming in Aotearoa New Zealand: A couple (80s?) are sitting across from each other, sharing a big slice of chocolate cake. Sipping tea. Having an entire conversation through raised eyebrows, half smiles, widened eyes and head nods. Absolute comfort. (1)

Very excited to have @fionakatauskas.bsky.social doing a thing for @thepointau.bsky.social thepoint.com.au/opinions/260...

You can't offset extinction

The Point, helping readers make sense of the issues shaping their lives today.

thepoint.com.au

that Israel is committing a genocide. It’s such a huge waste of energy that should be put to building a socialist movement that can actually fight back against the capitalist interests the Labor party exists to protect.

Regarding Ed Husic’s failed motion at the Labor conference: I genuinely do not understand the point of fighting this hard against an entire apparatus (and failing) in order to debate a motion that simply acknowledges something we all know is true, and is the internationally accepted position:

Redbubble is having a sale, so I want to buy an oversized hoodie with one of my taglines on it, but which one??? Currently torn between "Want some actual intelligence with your AI?" and "Tech is Easy, People are Hard"... www.redbubble.com/people/Raisi...

Australian Data Science Education Institute Shop | Redbubble

Australian Data Science Education Institute is an independent artist creating amazing designs for great products such as t-shirts, stickers, posters, and phone cases.

redbubble.com

Very telling that the anti-Trans screamers, who have *always* been worried about the children and bathrooms, not coming out kicking and punching about the Pervert Glasses.

Hypervisible @hypervisible.blacksky.app · last wk.

FWIW, Meta was fully aware of how these glasses would primarily be used. The glasses were designed to erase consent, and that is why they exist. Anything that they do that suggests they want to ameliorate this use is an attempt to win the PR battle and manipulate public opinion.

Morag and her trusty steeds #minidonks #spudlet #farmlife