iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Michael Valkenberg @critical-thinking.de · 04/10/2026

Nah, that was just an example. I haven’t fallen off the bike for months now.

Michael Valkenberg @critical-thinking.de · 04/10/2026

That is why you need to do sports when you get older. Not because things hurt less, but because then you can claim something like “my knee hurts because I ran 5k yesterday”, even if it’s not true. Or, in my case, “my knee hurts because I fell off my bike.”

120

Reposted by Michael Valkenberg

Alex Gibney @alexgibneyfilm.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

The trailer for my new film, "Musk," has just been released.

7835861374

Michael Valkenberg @critical-thinking.de · 19/09/2026

There, WaPo, I fixed it for you. Someone who calls for the deportation of Native Americans is not a “nativist”. (www.rawstory.com/bo-french/) This guy is too racist for an openly racist party in an openly racist country. You should at least attempt to use the correct description.

000

Michael Valkenberg @critical-thinking.de · 19/09/2026

Maybe I should get one to go with my St Pauli FC Antifa T-Shirt.

160

Michael Valkenberg @critical-thinking.de · 19/09/2026

I learned about handrails that when studying chemistry. In the chemical and petrochemical industry (at least in Germany) not using handrails is a safety violation. Repeatedly not using them will get you fired.

0142

Michael Valkenberg @critical-thinking.de · 17/09/2026

Glad to hear that. I will happily give money to authors. Private equity, not so much…

030

Michael Valkenberg @critical-thinking.de · 11/09/2026

This is the kind of take that may keep haunting you…

002

Michael Valkenberg @critical-thinking.de · 10/09/2026

I’d argue that there is quite a lot of difference between “If we win we will introduce healthcare for all.” and “Vote for me and I will give you money!”, but I accept that the law in the US does not agree with me.

000

Michael Valkenberg @critical-thinking.de · 10/09/2026

How is this any different from buying votes? Sure you promise the money instead of paying in advance, but the idea is the same.

000

Michael Valkenberg @critical-thinking.de · 04/09/2026

Congratulations! And you’re welcome. :)

010

Reposted by Michael Valkenberg

Charlie Stross @cstross.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

It says it all about the ethical values of the combatants in the Ukraine war that Ukraine is striking oil refineries while Russia is attacking libraries and publishers.

629868

Reposted by Michael Valkenberg

profcthulhu.bsky.social @profcthulhu.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Irony is dead and has been killed by AI. I searched for papers on cognitive offloading. Next to the search results? The option to have AI generate a short summary. If only there was another way of getting a quick summary of a paper and what the author(s) judged to be most important about it

011

Michael Valkenberg @critical-thinking.de · 29/08/2026

Yes, please, write a blog. Video is for people who have not learned how to read yet.

010

Reposted by Michael Valkenberg

Katie Mack @astrokatie.com · 28/08/2026

My personal opinion is that it’s bad for us all that it’s so difficult to both use social media and also avoid involuntarily seeing videos of people dying.

11308103

Michael Valkenberg @critical-thinking.de · 27/08/2026

I’m old enough to remember when Americans openly made fun of Baghdad Bob. This is at least on the same level of utterly shameless lying about observable reality.

020

Reposted by Michael Valkenberg

Kingfisher & Wombat @tkingfisher.com · 25/08/2026

Ah, god, not Dolly Parton. We’re going to need another pillar to hold up the universe.

15130175

Michael Valkenberg @critical-thinking.de · 21/08/2026

Yeah, I also have a clingy cat…

100

Michael Valkenberg @critical-thinking.de · 13/08/2026

I was always afraid of horses, you made me fear bunnies!

040

Reposted by Michael Valkenberg

McSweeney's @mcsweeneys.net · 12/08/2026

"Thank you for updating to Woman™ 51.0. This release includes important security updates, several unexpected hardware changes, a completely redesigned relationship with alcohol, and expanded support for saying 'absolutely not' without explaining yourself." buff.ly/31NgFok

mcsweeneys.net

Release Notes: Woman™ Version 51.0

“Thank you for updating to Woman™ 51.0. This release includes important security updates, several unexpected hardware changes, a completely redesigned relati...

1127381

Michael Valkenberg @critical-thinking.de · 10/08/2026

Well, I did recognise you at Glasgow WorldCon, but it really helped that you wore a t-shirt with your name on it.

000

Michael Valkenberg @critical-thinking.de · 09/08/2026

Ich habe das gelesen und dachte: „Warum hat mir das niemand gesagt, als ich noch promoviert habe, und das D2O für die NMR-Analytik bei mir im Regal stand, ich hätte doch sofort… Ah, wahrscheinlich deshalb“

030

Michael Valkenberg @critical-thinking.de · 27/07/2026

There are also still Woolworth‘s in Germany, though I would not consider them tourism destinations.

010

Michael Valkenberg @critical-thinking.de · 19/07/2026

Took a whale and puffin watching tour today with O‘Brien‘s boat tours in Bay Bulls, Newfoundland. As a German, I can very much appreciate their efficiency.

Open ocean. In the top left corner you see the fluke of a diving humpback whale, in the bottom right there are two puffins swimming on the water.

001

Reposted by Michael Valkenberg

Twonks @twonks.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

Great job 👏

9099263232

Michael Valkenberg @critical-thinking.de · 12/07/2026

Discover Airlines, ehemalige Eurowings Discover. LH Tochter.

110

Michael Valkenberg @critical-thinking.de · 12/07/2026

I guess the cocktail menu is ok. For a flight.

Cocktail Menu for a Discover Airline flight, with about 25 drinks

110

Michael Valkenberg @critical-thinking.de · 01/07/2026

I remember when - decades ago - you first introduced a character from the exotic island of Newfoundland. (Dean in „Summon the Keeper“?) Well, my wife and I will visit that place for the first time in about two weeks, and you are at least partially responsible.

010

Michael Valkenberg @critical-thinking.de · 28/06/2026

Is it really about belief, or just plausible deniability?

000

Reposted by Michael Valkenberg

MisterJayEm @misterjayem.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

Thomas House of Dublin exhibiting the pro-human solidarity that all of us should demonstrate.

SO FOR THE FUTURE (LITERALLY) WE'RE NOT ACCEPTING AI POSTERS OR FLYERS FOR THE PUB.

We're right next to Ireland's biggest Art College, lads. It's not a good look.

WE UNDERSTAND BANDS CAN BE SKINT BUT RELYING ON SOME EARTH KILLING APP FROM SOME PAEDO ISLAND BILLIONAIRE IS NOT THE WAY. WE GOT BY WITHOUT IT AND WE'LL GET BY AGAIN.

IF YOU'RE STUCK WE'LL HELP. (YES IT HAS BEEN USED HERE BEFORE BUT CONSIDER THIS THE START OF THE END OF IT.)

THANKS, HUMANS.

491543221

Michael Valkenberg @critical-thinking.de · 20/06/2026

I‘m looking forward to the first USAn telling me that under Trump the country is finally respected again. I really, really need a good laugh…

030

Michael Valkenberg @critical-thinking.de · 18/06/2026

Yeah, I missed it, because my podcast player only downloads the latest episode, and since there were two in that week, it skipped the one with the announcement.

000

Michael Valkenberg @critical-thinking.de · 18/06/2026

Sure, everybody thinks of 1919 when this comes up, but won‘t anybody mention February 1871?

000

Michael Valkenberg @critical-thinking.de · 18/06/2026

Ah, thank you, that explains it.

000

Michael Valkenberg @critical-thinking.de · 18/06/2026

Or do patrons get their shows a week early?

100

Michael Valkenberg @critical-thinking.de · 18/06/2026

Is it possible that you got the show announcements mixed up. Today‘s announcement is for last week‘s show, and I‘m pretty sure that last week was the same problem.

100

Michael Valkenberg @critical-thinking.de · 18/06/2026

Didn’t we hear that show last week?

100

Michael Valkenberg @critical-thinking.de · 16/06/2026

„I'd like to see you out in the moonlight I'd like to kiss you way back in the sticks I'd like to walk you through a field of wildflowers And I'd like to check you for ticks“ Brad Paisley - Ticks

000

Michael Valkenberg @critical-thinking.de · 12/06/2026

Whatever you have to say about the world‘s first paper trillionaire, if this is not the picture you illustrate it with, I won‘t read it.

010

Michael Valkenberg @critical-thinking.de · 07/06/2026

Still sore that his side lost, I guess…

Screenshot: „Hegseth attacks Europe over migration in D-Day speech“

000

Michael Valkenberg @critical-thinking.de · 04/06/2026

Great news, he absolutely has the voice for it!

000

Michael Valkenberg @critical-thinking.de · 01/06/2026

You may want to take a look t the German system. PR, but you also get to chose a representative for your constituency.

000

Michael Valkenberg @critical-thinking.de · 28/05/2026

Happy Birthday! Sorry I didn’t get you anything.

010

Michael Valkenberg @critical-thinking.de · 25/05/2026

Anything written by T. Kingfisher (though I personally prefer her fantasy over the horror). The Paladin series (5 so far) may only be available as ebooks - I read those and the other 3 books in the same world within 2 weeks. You have probably read Pratchett already, otherwise: „Monstrous Regiment“.

031

Reposted by Michael Valkenberg

Trish Greenhalgh @trishgreenhalgh.bsky.social · 23/05/2026

Every summer I repost this article on how to spot drowning. Please read it and pass on. In the last few years I’ve had SIX messages from people who saved a kid’s life after clicking on the link from my feed. slate.com/technology/2...

slate.com

Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning

Drowning is not the violent, splashing call for help that most people expect.

253133939735

Michael Valkenberg @critical-thinking.de · 23/05/2026

All fun and games, until the hooligans from Pride And Premier League trash the comments section.

000

Michael Valkenberg @critical-thinking.de · 23/05/2026

Makes you wonder how people can justify not sharing your Austen/Aston fandom.

110