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Aram Sinnreich

@aram.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy
169 followers 8 following 209 posts

Writer, professor, musician. 🌉 bridged from ⁂ aoir.social/@aram, follow @ap.brid.gy to interact

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by Aram Sinnreich
rickf - a cynical professor @rickf.indieweb.social.ap.brid.gy · 13/10/2026
@aram I've had this hanging in/outside my office since the late '90s when I was working at the InterNIC during DotCom. Back then we were sooo optimistic about the networked future .... now, I share your sentiment and wonder what hell hath we unleashed. I […] [Original post on indieweb.social]
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Aram Sinnreich @aram.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy · 13/10/2026
I spent the first part of my career (97-02) as a prominent internet industry research analyst, promoting massive investment and adoption of tech. When I first met the sociologist Mañuel Castells in 03, his first words were "so… it is your fault." At the time I assumed he meant the dot-com crash.
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Aram Sinnreich @aram.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy · 13/10/2026
The Secret Life of Data, we take zero pleasure in saying we told you so edition
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Aram Sinnreich @aram.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy · 12/10/2026
Happy Indigenous Peoples' Day from CDMX 🎶
Closeup of a Diego Rivera mural featuring a musician in indigenous attire playing a stringed instrumentPhoto of a musician playing a bass guitarron at Cafe Tacuba
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Aram Sinnreich @aram.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy · 11/10/2026
I miss good news.
Notification center, morning briefing: Chinese surveillance. Political violence. Delivery robots.
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Aram Sinnreich @aram.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy · 10/10/2026
We were just discussing this in my grad-level Media, Technology & Democracy class yesterday. www.rollingstone.com/culture/cultur…
rollingstone.com
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Aram Sinnreich @aram.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy · 10/10/2026
Today's NYT crossword has more than the standard share of Black culture and I love to see it
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Aram Sinnreich @aram.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy · 09/10/2026
I just had a fantastic conversation with Tulane prof. Brian Frye for his Ipse Dixit podcast about hip-hop, sampling, copyright, racism, and AI. Check it out. shows.acast.com/ipse-dixit/episodes…
shows.acast.com
Aram Sinnreich on the Law of Sampling & Racial Injustice | Ipse Dixit
A Podcast on Legal Scholarship
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Aram Sinnreich @aram.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy · 09/10/2026
David Byrne wrote a song using only bonkers Elon Musk quotes for lyrics and it's not bad youtu.be/wcFdiEcQdTc
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Aram Sinnreich @aram.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy · 08/10/2026
I shared some thoughts with Inc. Mag about AI-driven streaming fraud. TLDR: If Spotify etc adopted an artist-centric royalty model, the problem would go away overnight. www.inc.com/moses-jeanfrancois/musi…
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Aram Sinnreich @aram.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy · 08/10/2026
The Secret Life of Data, wired to the max edition www.dexerto.com/entertainment/man-d…
dexerto.com
Man discovers his parents’ coffee machine used 1TB of data in 10 days - Dexerto
The man said they discovered that their parents’ coffee maker had generated far more traffic than they expected.
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Reposted by Aram Sinnreich
Brian Harrod @brianharrod.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 07/10/2026
#LOL... Surely more data centers will help with this issue... THE GUARDIAN: US households pay 62% more for water than they did a decade ago, study finds For-profit water corporations, federal cuts and climate crisis are "supercharging water rate hikes".... […] [Original post on mastodon.social]
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Reposted by Aram Sinnreich
Robert W. Gehl @rwg.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy · 17/09/2026
I edited my old Mastodon-to-Bluesky (and vice-versa) guide for #AoIR2026 fossacademic.tech/2025/09/01/aoir-s… If you're attending #AoIR2026 (or want to lurk) and you're interested in bridging between #Mastodon and #Bluesky (and #Blacksky), please check out the guide. Or […]
aoir.social
Original post on aoir.social
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Aram Sinnreich @aram.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy · 07/10/2026
I got treated for cancer at MSK, a top-tier medical center. Literally nobody told me to exercise. Over a year later, my friend, a personal trainer, asked me about my exercise regimen. When I said just pushups and situps she said "OMG that's terrible!" and now she trains me in pilates 3x/week. […]
aoir.social
Original post on aoir.social
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Aram Sinnreich @aram.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy · 07/10/2026
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare The lone and level sands stretch far away. www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/1…
motherjones.com
Elon’s Fans Erect 50-Foot Statue Outside His Company Town
On Thursday, a group of men dressed like extras from Les Misérables erected a giant statue outside Elon Musk’s company town of Starbase, Texas: a 50-foot bronze rendition of the Titan Prometheus. Building a godlike figure in honor of the world’s richest man reportedly cost the sculptors, of the French outfit Atelier Missor, $1 million […]
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Aram Sinnreich @aram.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy · 07/10/2026
My younger kid got their first job, as a scare actor at a haunted forest theme park, and I think they've found their calling.
An eerie scene featuring a figure lying on a table, partially covered with a white sheet. The surroundings are dimly lit, creating a haunting atmosphere with blue lighting and a rustic wooden backdrop. The figure appears lifeless, adding to the unsettling ambiance.
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Aram Sinnreich @aram.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy · 06/10/2026
This is fantastic work paidforby.info
paidforby.info
Who paid for this?
Find out who really paid for political mailers and TV ads.
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Aram Sinnreich @aram.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy · 06/10/2026
Every news article about business leaders and/or social strife should mention that a cabal of billionaires and their trillionaire buddy are currently and explicitly trying to accelerate social collapse so they can be neofeudal kings in digital paradise forever. I dunno, seems like important […]
aoir.social
Original post on aoir.social
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Aram Sinnreich @aram.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy · 06/10/2026
seems like things are pretty bad huh
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Aram Sinnreich @aram.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy · 05/10/2026
Yeah, there's a whole lotta slop out there but this lowkey slaps www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sb4ibCu3l88
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Aram Sinnreich @aram.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy · 05/10/2026
DC people, mark your calendars. The amazing @zephoria will be visiting American University on Oct 29th to discuss her new book "Data Are Made, Not Found." It's free and open to the public, but tickets are limited, so get yours now […]
aoir.social
Original post on aoir.social
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Aram Sinnreich @aram.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy · 02/10/2026
Woody Allen wrote a short story in which a dude invented this tech... it didn't end well. techcrunch.com/2026/10/01/audibles-…
techcrunch.com
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Aram Sinnreich @aram.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy · 02/10/2026
🎶 you don't know me but I'm your faaaather... 🎶 Sorry. Couldn't help it. www.kctv5.com/2026/09/30/adopted-st…
kctv5.com
Adopted St. Louis man discovers his biological father is a Grammy-winning artist
A St. Louis man who spent decades wondering about his biological roots was recently reunited with his birth parents—and discovered his father is a five-time Grammy Award winner
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Aram Sinnreich @aram.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy · 01/10/2026
The Secret Life of Data, turning every government asset and worker into cops edition gizmodo.com/usps-is-putting-dashcam…
gizmodo.com
Beyond delivering mail, the United States Postal Service (USPS) is now testing cameras on some of its delivery trucks to record routes and collect data about roads and other infrastructure. 404 Media reported Wednesday that USPS recently sent a letter to the president of the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) notifying the union of a new pilot that is testing cameras in delivery vehicles. The letter was later posted to Facebook by an NALC branch in Ohio. USPS is partnering with dashcam company Nextbase to equip 100 delivery vehicles with cameras in the Washington, D.C. area, according to the letter. Nextbase’s website says its dashcams can record in 4K and capture precise details like road signs and license plates. However, the cameras being tested by USPS do not run controversial automatic license plate reader software, according to 404 Media. Instead, the letter says they will scan and analyze roads, signage, and sidewalks. “The purpose of this pilot is to leverage the Postal Service’s unique ability to collect this valuable data due to the scale and frequency with which our fleet of postal vehicles travel the streets of every community across the country,” the agency said in the letter. The USPS isn’t the only government service turning its vehicles into mobile cameras. Earlier this year, the city of Dallas partnered with City Detect to put AI-powered cameras on garbage trucks that scan properties and assign them a blight score. Roughly 1,800 “courtesy notices” had been sent to owners of lower-scoring properties as of early September. City Detect also works with at least 16 other cities across the United States. This growing use of government vehicles as mobile data-collection platforms comes as automatic license plate readers face mounting backlash around the country. These camera systems sold by companies like Flock Safety and Axon scan license plates as vehicles pass, collecting vehicle information along with the time and location they were spotted. Police can then search that data during investigations. Privacy advocates have warned that the cameras collect location data on millions of people who are not suspected of crimes, often without a warrant, probable cause, or reasonable suspicion. The backlash has been particularly intense against Flock. Some cities have already cut ties with the company, while protesters elsewhere have taken matters into their own hands by tearing down cameras. USPS and Nextbase did not immediately respond to Gizmodo’s requests for comment. However, a USPS spokesperson told 404 Media that the agency “is conducting a limited pilot to assess whether vehicle-mounted cameras can help identify roadway conditions and support community safety.” The spokesperson added that the pilot includes privacy safeguards and that its findings will inform any future decisions. The pilot began Sept. 21 and is expected to run for several months.
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Aram Sinnreich @aram.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy · 01/10/2026
Back in the heady, optimistic days of 2000, the New York Times ran a series of TV commercials. One of them featured an older white woman looking at the camera with a big, satisfied smile and saying "Another day to learn something new!" I think about that ad a LOT. It's nowhere online, but […]
aoir.social
Original post on aoir.social
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Aram Sinnreich @aram.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy · 30/09/2026
Please share: Great academic #job in my school. Associate /Full Professor of Interactive Media Film and Media Arts School of Communication american.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-U…
american.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com
Associate or Full Professor of Interactive Media Film and Media Arts School of Communication
American University is a student-centered research institution located in Washington, DC, with highly-ranked schools and colleges, internationally-renowned faculty, and a reputation for creating meaningful change in the world. Learn more about American University Department: School of Communication Time Type: Full time FLSA Status: Exempt Job Description: The School of Communication at American University (AU) in Washington, D.C., invites applications for a full-time, faculty position at the rank of associate or full professor, with an emphasis on interactive storytelling, worldbuilding, and/or playful design in the public interest. Depending on qualifications, the appointee may be recommended for tenure at the time of hiring. Candidates should hold a terminal degree as appropriate to their focus, such as an MFA or Ph.D. The salary range is from $105,000-$124,000. The School of Communication (SOC) at American University engages the most pressing issues of our time through teaching, scholarship, and professional experiences in communication and media. In the Film and Media Arts division, our faculty and students make media that matters in and beyond one of the most dynamic and influential cities in the world. The candidate is expected to work closely with or lead American University’s Game & Interactive Media Center, which is a world-class hub for experiential education, interactive storytelling, and computational media with a public purpose. While the Center is increasingly focused on undergraduate learning, its graduate programs were ranked #24 in the world by the Princeton Review in 2026, including the MA in Game Design and the MFA in Games and Interactive Media. The Center recently launched a new minor in Game Design, with one track for media studies students and another for those with an interest in computer science and game development. The ideal candidate will be an outstanding media maker, educator, and curricular strategist. They should ideally be comfortable with many principles of good game design. The candidate’s practice in interactive media should connect to one or more domains in the public interest: the environment, health, urban and spatial planning, education, or social issue storytelling, and should interface with science communication and journalism, museums, nonprofits, etc. As more AI tools are integrated into production pipelines, the candidate should have some knowledge of where such tools are useful and how they can be guided, and be able to engage thoughtfully with students who are both AI resistant and AI enthusiasts. Job responsibilities may include teaching courses; directing undergraduate and graduate game programs; mentoring students; securing new partnerships and funding for original media projects and high-impact collaborations; and participating in School of Communication and University governance. The position, which will begin in August of 2027, comes with powerful opportunities for collaboration with a tremendous mix of organizations in Washington, DC, from arts funders to policy think tanks to global nonprofits. Collaborating across the university with our world-class faculty is particularly well-suited to the Game & Interactive Media Center and is encouraged. Consideration of applications will commence on November 1, 2026. Candidate interviews will begin in late 2026/early 2027 and continue until the position is filled. To apply, submit a letter of application, curriculum vitae, one letter of recommendation (two more letters will be requested for those who reach the interview stage), a teaching portfolio, optional creative portfolio, and optional excerpt of exemplary publications; finalist candidates will be asked for two letters of recommendation (likely to coincide with interviews). Please submit applications via Workday. Please contact the SOC Faculty Affairs Coordinator at 202-885-2133 or email facultyaffairs_SOC@american.edu if you have any questions. For more about the School of Communication, please visit www.american.edu/soc. American University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution that operates in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. The university does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including pregnancy), age, sexual orientation, disability, marital status, personal appearance, gender identity and expression, family responsibilities, political affiliation, source of income, veteran status, an individual’s genetic information or any other bases under federal or local laws (collectively “Protected Bases”) in its programs and activities. American University is a tobacco- and smoke-free campus. Hiring offers for this position are contingent on the successful completion of a background check. American University is required to comply with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act). In accordance with the Clery Act, each year American University prepares an Annual Security Report. This report contains campus crime statistics as well as descriptions of Public Safety's services. It is available to all applicants upon request by calling the Department of Public Safety at 202-885-2537 or the Annual Security Report is also available online. Benefits AU offers a competitive benefits package. Click here to learn about American University's unique benefit options. Other Details Hiring offers for this position are contingent on successful completion of a background check. Employees in staff positions at American University must deliver their services to the university from either the District of Columbia, Maryland, or Virginia, or perform work on-site at the university. Please note this job announcement is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice. American University is an E-Verify employer. Current American University Employees American University current employees must apply through their employee Workday account. If you are a current employee at American University, please log into Workday and select the Find Jobs report which will take you to our internal career listings. Contact Us For more information or assistance with the American University careers site, email theworkline@american.edu. American University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution that operates in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. The university does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including pregnancy), age, sexual orientation, disability, marital status, personal appearance, gender identity and expression, family responsibilities, political affiliation, source of income, veteran status, an individual’s genetic information or any other bases under federal or local laws (collectively "Protected Bases") in its programs and activities. American University is a student centered research institution located in Washington, DC, with highly-ranked schools and colleges, internationally-renowned faculty, and a reputation for creating meaningful change in the world.
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Aram Sinnreich @aram.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy · 29/09/2026
Important question from my dad. (the answer: Long Story Short)
Text message: "What's the name of the jewey cartoon you recommend!"
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Aram Sinnreich @aram.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy · 29/09/2026
RE: flipboard.com/@lifehacker/the-lates… You never see them in the same place
flipboard.com
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Aram Sinnreich @aram.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy · 29/09/2026
There's a power outage at my local (Washington DC-area) water filtration plant. Malicious cyberattack, or just old systems going haywire? www.wsscwater.com/news/2026/septemb…
wsscwater.com
Urgent Request – 8:45 a.m. Tuesday, September 29, 2026: Essential Water Use Only Issued for All WSSC Water Customers; Power Outage at Potomac Water Filtration Plant | WSSC Water
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Aram Sinnreich @aram.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy · 29/09/2026
Welp guess I'm gonna discontinue using my university email
Resolution of your Service Request:
Good morning, Aram,

After review, we are unable to approve the use of Canary Mail with your AU email account. AU email should be accessed through the university's approved email application, Outlook, and we are not authorizing connections to alternative third-party email clients.

Thank you for your understanding.
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Aram Sinnreich @aram.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy · 28/09/2026
"The consensus has been that algorithmic filter bubbles have locked us off from each other, which is why the highest echelons of pop music feel so stale. But what’s actually happened is that Silicon Valley created a new, worse version of popularity that everyone just accepted at face value at […]
aoir.social
Original post on aoir.social
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Aram Sinnreich @aram.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy · 25/09/2026
She's looking more and more like him
Reuters photo of Melanie and Donald Trump, making the same face like a haggard speed freak who's just been busted mid-cop and is ready to start a-stabbin' with the sharpened piece of windshield wiper plastic they keep up their sleeve, while Chinese President Xi stands by looking serenely disgusted and amused
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Aram Sinnreich @aram.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy · 24/09/2026
Does anyone have a decent IMAP email program for Mac that can handle multiple accounts? Betterbird is a disappointment, Airmail went down the tube, MacMail is just an embarrassment...
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Aram Sinnreich @aram.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy · 23/09/2026
RE: aoir.social/@nancybaym/117321291493… The end of an era. Nothing but love and respect for @nancybaym and all the amazing scholars who have graced the SMC's halls over the years. 👏👏👏👏👏
aoir.social
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Aram Sinnreich @aram.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy · 22/09/2026
America already has an arch and it's a pretty damned good one
The St Louis Arch as seen through an office window
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Aram Sinnreich @aram.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy · 21/09/2026
Seeing one of your favorite artists from orchestra seats on a beautiful night, when the band is tight and she's in great voice, the crowd is feeling pure love, everyone is dancing, then she triples down on a new Jew-hating lyric and it's Yom Kippur and no one bats an eye, is so utterly depressing.
Erykah Badu, looking great and sounding great as she delivers the lyrics "They bank on it, Anne Frank on it" while the backing track makes a cash register sound, live at Wolftrap
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Aram Sinnreich @aram.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy · 21/09/2026
I did not realize how badly I needed this
De La Soul, the greatest hip hop group of all time, performing on stage with Talib Kweli while Dave looks down from his Cabin in the Sky with a magnificent smile on his face
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Aram Sinnreich @aram.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy · 20/09/2026
One of these days it's really gonna happen, and even though it won't solve all our problems, we are going to have one hell of a party
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Aram Sinnreich @aram.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy · 19/09/2026
Once again @tressie has nailed it www.nytimes.com/2026/09/19/opinion/…
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Aram Sinnreich @aram.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy · 19/09/2026
"Peter Parker" is an intentional double entendre, right? 🕷️🤦🏻‍♂️🍆🅿️
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Reposted by Aram Sinnreich
Adrianna Tan @skinnylatte.hachyderm.io.ap.brid.gy · 18/09/2026
BritishSlaveTraders.org is a database of the individuals who built their fortunes on African suffering The database was compiled from years of work by historians at King’s College, Lancaster, Manchester and UCL britishslavetraders.org
britishslavetraders.org
The Register of British Slave-Traders
The Register of British Slave-traders compiles and presents information on all known slave-traders in Britain who invested in the trafficking of captive Africans from 1563 to 1807.
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Aram Sinnreich @aram.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy · 18/09/2026
Toasters made bread warm and hard, lawsuit claims www.latimes.com/business/story/2026…
latimes.com
Meta glasses captured and shared intimate images without users' consent, lawsuit claims
People who use Meta's smart glasses or were recorded with the gadget are worried about how the social media giant is using their photos and videos.
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Aram Sinnreich @aram.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy · 18/09/2026
Showed this late-90s commercial for search engine Excite dot com to my undergrads yesterday. Not only was the commercial itself completely impenetrable to them, they had no idea what the song was or who sang it. www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nOtcHtEmqk
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Aram Sinnreich @aram.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy · 18/09/2026
Reality isn't "analog." Even music isn't "analog." It's quantized all the way down. phys.org/news/2026-09-real-quantum.…
phys.org
Real-time quantum jump in sound observed for first time
A Stanford team has documented the first direct observation of quantum jumps of sound in a mechanical resonator, completing an arc of scientific exploration that started more than 100 years ago.
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Aram Sinnreich @aram.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy · 18/09/2026
RE: mastodon.social/@fesshole/117291791… Not all heroes wear capes
mastodon.social
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Aram Sinnreich @aram.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy · 18/09/2026
Sure, everything sucks really bad but at least we can still listen to Eddie Palmieri music.apple.com/us/album/v%C3%A1mon…
music.apple.com
Vámonos Pa'l Monte by Eddie Palmieri on Apple Music
Album · 1986 · 6 Songs
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Aram Sinnreich @aram.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy · 18/09/2026
Am I enjoying the privilege of paying to park at my place of business by using a surveillance app? No. No, I am not.
Enjoying PayByPhone?
Yes
No, share feedback
Ask me later
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Aram Sinnreich @aram.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy · 18/09/2026
I've been wanting a tool like this from Google for years. Can't believe they actually created it. deepmind.google/blog/exploring-the-…
deepmind.google
Exploring the context of online images with Backstory
New experimental AI tool helps people explore the context and origin of images seen online.
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Aram Sinnreich @aram.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy · 16/09/2026
If you've got kids in the #DC area, come check out this free musical event at DC Public Library on Saturday morning, featuring the amazing @dunia with me and Lady Hatchet supporting her […]
aoir.social
Original post on aoir.social
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Aram Sinnreich @aram.aoir.social.ap.brid.gy · 16/09/2026
An opinion nobody wants: Ed Sheeran is a tone-deaf, derivative, boring corporate product Macklemore is a talentless, posturing, one-hit hack opportunist Netanyahu is a genocidal war criminal Hamas is the terrorism arm of the energy industry Palestinians and Israelis are the same We're all the same
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