Sign in

Erik

@sjcaustenite.bsky.social
272 followers 130 following 867 posts

American in Prague, podcaster, he/him, 🏳️‍🌈

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by Erik
If Books Could Kill @ifbookspod.bsky.social · 6h
This month's bonus episode is about how climate change is fake but the hosts' body horror is real.
patreon.com
Conspiracies of Yore: Climategate | If Books Could Kill
Michael and Peter discuss Climategate, the scandal that rocked the climate science world. With scientists on one side, and paid lackeys for
71507
Reposted by Erik
Michael Hobbes @michaelhobbes.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Climate change is as straightforward as it gets: Democrats vote to address it and Republicans vote not to. There's a weird tic among the pundit class where they think saying "it's more complicated than that" is the intelligent stance on everything but sometimes it's not complicated!
16927116
Reposted by Erik
Richard Lawson @rilaws.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
What’s this? A Critical Darlings bonus episode about fall festivals and the famous Oscar awards?? What a treat for you, I think! pod.link/1885681327
pod.link
Critical Darlings
Listen to Critical Darlings wherever you get your podcasts!
1748
Reposted by Erik
Asawin Suebsaeng @swin24.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Grand scheme of things, stuff like this is small ball esp compared to all this gang’s other abuses and atrocities but: I’ll say it again, the broken windows theory of crime is wrong EXCEPT for political and business elites like these. Every failure to crack down hard on the little, hatch act…
131070246
Erik @sjcaustenite.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
No, but, you see, The Atlantic said...
001
Erik @sjcaustenite.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
It is the *job* of the Legislature to hold the Executive to account, including by impeachment. Too many members have convinced themselves that their job is just to keep getting elected and hope for change. If they won't fulfill their constitutional roles, they should be given to those who will.
000
Erik @sjcaustenite.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
This is wisdom. 🤣
020
Erik @sjcaustenite.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
I suspect the new episode of The Writers' Room will be one of our most controversial. These episodes, for us, just did not hold up. At all. dwtwr.libsyn.com/the-zygon-in...
dwtwr.libsyn.com
The Writers' Room: The Zygon Invasion/The Zygon Inversion
This month, Kyle and Erik are seeing double as they tackle Peter Harness and Steven Moffat's shape-shifting follow-up to "The Day of the Doctor," "The Zygon Invasion/The Zygon Inversion." People reall...
010
Reposted by Erik
Michael Hobbes @michaelhobbes.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
We're back! Thrilled to finally share the hate in my heart for Peter Duesberg, Thabo Mbeki and Dave Grohl
podcasts.apple.com
RFK Jr.'s Buckwild Belief That HIV Doesn't Cause AIDS
Podcast Episode · Maintenance Phase · September 21 · 1h 20m
561161127
Erik @sjcaustenite.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
An actual quote from this article: "Looking at it from the opposite angle, 51% of voters said they had a negative view of ICE, and 52% said they had a negative view of socialism.* So, an alternative headline "ICE is as unpopular in the US as socialism."
101
Reposted by Erik
Jon Dear @accordingtojond.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
50th anniversary of I, Claudius today. If you ever want to see how a great TV director transcends the limitations of the format, get it watched. Herbert Wise was a maestro.
1014230
Reposted by Erik
The New York Times @nytimes.com · 18/09/2026
Breaking News: Duncan Sheik, the singer-songwriter who traded pop stardom for Broadway as the composer of “Spring Awakening,” has died at 56.
nyti.ms
Duncan Sheik, Who Traded Pop Stardom for Broadway, Dies at 56
Weary of the heartthrob label after his 1996 hit “Barely Breathing,” he pivoted to musical theater and won two Tonys for composing “Spring Awakening.”
99933
Erik @sjcaustenite.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
I, and everyone else over 35 or so, grew up in a world where dozens of TV shows in the 80s and 90s did episodes about trans people: old army buddies, exes, even parents who had transitioned. And we're happier. And they (eventually) were accepted. Society was *fine* with trans people.
100
Erik @sjcaustenite.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
I am a 47-year-old man and I am finally ready to stand in my truth: I don't like garlic. (Which makes me wonder what was in all those garlic breads I liked as a kid, because they didn't taste like garlic.) Regardless, here I am, and I will not be silent any longer. Garlic tastes bad to me.
100
Erik @sjcaustenite.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
Name a non-LOTR character who could resist the one ring.
Captain America raising his shield in a crowd of people.
010
Erik @sjcaustenite.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
Wait...a CATTLE RANCHER (and tech CEO) wants AI chatbots to have rights? This man can look at a cow and see beef, but he looks at text on a screen generated by an algorithm and he sees something with rights. Kinda makes it obvious they're all delusional, doesn't it?
010
Erik @sjcaustenite.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
I may be wrong, but not only is there no evidence for this claim, I think there's actually strong evidence to the contrary. But for decades now, folks in power have been bamboozled into thinking that all the world needs is more software devs.
062
Reposted by Erik
Linda Holmes @lindaholmes.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Oh sure. I mean you have to figure out the big twist and where in the season to put the flashback episode.
913611
Erik @sjcaustenite.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
It's not been memory-holed, it never existed! The sheer amount of useless, terrible, indistinct and yet seemingly ubiquitous slop AI is making now is simply not the same thing.
120
Reposted by Erik
Alejandra Caraballo @esqueer.net · 10/09/2026
The thing liberals fundamentally don't understand is that trans people are losing rights they already had. We're not asking for more, we're asking not to lose what we already had for decades. Most sports leagues and the Olympics had inclusion criteria for decades without issue.
Screenshot of an X (formerly Twitter) exchange discussing political pragmatism and the Overton window.
The initial post by onion person (@CantEverDie) reads:
> "doesn't matter, this is about what the right is able to push with the overton window. first its democrats needing to disavow trans women in sports to get elected, next it'll be agreeing to ban access to HRT to get elected. we've seen how this plays out"
> 
A reply from Nick Pappas (@NickAPappas) reads:
> "Are you insane? The Overton window didn’t even include this discussion until recently. The public has never been in favor of desegregating the sports by sex.
> Personally I’m glad Barack Obama ran against gay marriage in 2008. Not because that was the right position, or one he even actually held, but because he knew the public wasn’t with him on it. If he hadn’t won he wouldn’t have been able to appoint 2 of the justices who ultimately voted in the majority for Obergefell.
> Lincoln in 1860 didn’t even run on abolishing slavery! He just wanted to stop its expansion. And thankfully he did that and won because a more extreme and morally correct position would have lost. As a result he was able to win the Civil War and push through the 13 amendment.
> Political practicality is the entire history of progress in America. There’s no other way."
>
633238759
Reposted by Erik
Brendel @brendelbored.bsky.social · 19/12/2024
Every podcast I don’t listen to is called “Achieving the Limit with Duff and Ween” and gets sold for 300 million dollars while every podcast I do listen to is called “The Movie Toilet” and begs me to buy a t shirt so they can eat food
61109121955
Erik @sjcaustenite.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
He should be, he's one of the people responsible for it. Though, how much of what is done in his name is he actually aware of these days? 🤷🏼‍♂️
110
Reposted by Erik
Chris Geidner @chrisgeidner.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
The boat-strike murders and third-country removals are among the constant reminders of our nation's global lawlessness under the Trump administration.
10409149
Erik @sjcaustenite.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
The American flag cake story is one of the funniest but also most heartfelt pieces of writing I've ever read. It was incredible how The Onion -- of all things! -- perfectly captures the just post 9/11 moment without at all sacrificing its voice.
001
Reposted by Erik
Charles Beckett @charlesbeckett.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
HMG position now is that the occupation is illegal. Supports ICJ process in ongoing genocide case. Ethnic cleansing is occurring in the West Bank.
14212
Reposted by Erik
Steven Schapansky 🇨🇦 @legopolis.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
The Trial of a Time Lord premiered 40 years ago. It made such a mark on me when I bought my first cheap keyboard, the first things I taught myself to play were the Doctor Who theme, and Dominic Glynn’s trial theme. So here is my own musical tribute to both. youtu.be/GghYGGeHE6w?...
youtu.be
The Trial of a Time Lord at 40
YouTube video by Steven
3215
Reposted by Erik
David Sims @davidlsims.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
I understand that COVID broke everyone's brain but it really felt like we've all spent years fighting against the entirely invented notion that people don't care about seeing movies in theaters anymore and 2026 has been the biggest relief on that front
535525
Reposted by Erik
NPR @npr.org · 05/09/2026
NPR's Linda Holmes is a daily puzzle devotee. She recommends games that will test your knowledge of geography, history, and even the most obscure corners of Wikipedia. n.pr/3UwxNWF
n.pr
If you prefer puzzles to doomscrolling, here are 5 great games to check out
NPR's Linda Holmes is a daily puzzle devotee. She recommends games that will test your knowledge of geography, history, and even the most obscure corners of Wikipedia.
825535
Erik @sjcaustenite.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Without saying your age, what is your favorite movie that came out when you were 20 years old?
static.klipy.com
Iconic Moon Face from Classic Film
Alt: Iconic Moon Face from Classic Film A Trip to the Moon
010
Reposted by Erik
Luke Johnson @ljohnson.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
It's not Putin "plans to" escalate. He's already escalating with daytime jet-powered Shahed attacks on Kyiv, attempts at sabotaging Ukrainian cargo in NATO territory, sending drones into Romania www.economist.com/europe/2026/...
economist.com
Cornered, Vladimir Putin plans to escalate his war
His refusal to back down is rooted in Russia’s gangster politics
043
Reposted by Erik
Elizabeth Minkel @elizabethminkel.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
I also highly recommend @kaytiburt.bsky.social's reporting on the AI in fic situation! We've put it in front of the paywall, so I hope lots more folks give it a read or listen:
fansplaining.com
Heated Rivalry is at the Center of Fanfic’s AI Reckoning
A controversial anonymous document exposing Claude remnants in fics has collided with a fandom culture of production at hyper-speed.
14715
Reposted by Erik
Louis Peitzman @louispeitzman.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Hasan Piker is simply not famous enough to normies to warrant this level of attention! He does not demand these endless statements! Nick Fuentes dined with the president and Republicans just played the “I don’t know her” game. No reason to play into this bad-faith shit.
42746428
Reposted by Erik
Stephen Bush @stephenkb.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
'Essentially everyone in the book trade knows loads of memoirs are fake and there are near-zero checks' is one of those stories I keep expecting to tank that part of the industry, yet it never does.
511322239
Erik @sjcaustenite.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
The icons of my childhood are disappearing, one by one. Thinking of Tim Curry, I am just happy that he lived to add the Rocky Horror and Clue generations grow up and show him their love. Also, he's awesome in Legend.
030
Reposted by Erik
Rebecca Sear @rebeccasear.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Ghent University members are asking for support, so its institution can investigate Cofnas as its regulations require, and because: "appeals to absolutist academic freedom as a guise for pursuing racist and pseudoscientific research threaten the integrity and credibility of research as a whole"
1217100
Erik @sjcaustenite.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
The world cannot afford to lose someone as good as she was. If anyone knew how to be a rich Christian, it was Dolly Parton.
030
Reposted by Erik
Nitro Nine Milkshake @adamclegg.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
I think this hits so hard because in a world where those with money seem intent on burning everything good down, Dolly just proved that you didn’t have to do that. You could be good and kind and make the world better for others, it’s really that simple.
0113
Reposted by Erik
jordan @jordantyranny.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
"I'm sure of my talent and I'm sure of my love for life."
do you ever feel that you're a joke

all these years, the people thought the joke was on me, but the joke's actually been on the public

i'm sure of myself as a person, I'm sure of my talent and I'm sure of my love for life. I like the person I am, so I can afford to around with makeup and clothes because i'm secure with myself.
174129789
Erik @sjcaustenite.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Custom designed robots made for a special purpose *should* be able to beat humans at specific, individual tasks. What's remarkable about humans isn't that we're the fastest creatures. We aren't. It's that a fast runner can also cook, do math, fix a bicycle, read to a child, tell a joke, etc, etc.
073
Reposted by Erik
Michael @fleerultra.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
i simply do not believe things will get better in this country so long as the supposed alternative to the fascist white supremacy party is run by losers like chuck schumer and hakeem jeffries
261196190
Erik @sjcaustenite.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
A lot of supposedly left leaning centrist folks are easily suckered by the right wing as soon as they cry "freedom of speech." It's the standard playbook used to defend some of the worst people and behavior imaginable. Come to think of it, maybe they're not being suckered. Maybe they're just awful.
100
Reposted by Erik
Mike Drucker @mikedrucker.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
Look, are we the laughing stock of the world? Yes. Are we losing a war we should’ve never started? Yes. Is all our food poison now? Yes. Are all the jobs going away? Yes. But the important thing is a blue-haired college student I made up in my head feels bad about memes.
4364981266
Reposted by Erik
Helen Kennedy @helenkennedy.com · 21/08/2026
The Trump administration fired the editor of Stars & Stripes. The military newspaper's publisher, who announced he would retire earlier this week, was also fired. The paper had revealed the deplorable conditions on the USS Lincoln, embarrassing Hegseth and Trump.
241510651
Reposted by Erik
Chance the Lawyer @chancethelawyer.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
say what you will about the myriad valid concerns with current LLMs but I personally will never get over the fact that Aaron Swartz was prosecuted to his literal death for downloading JSTOR and then a decade later, they downloaded & ingested the entire world and our IP laws just went ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
4645481568
Reposted by Erik
Benjamin Riley @benjaminjriley.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
So we know AI helped a negligible number of students. But how many did it harm? I've crunched the raw data provided by the lead researcher, and what I've found is that ~9,500 students using AI studied less than even the *least* studious, non-AI using student. This should shock the conscience.
20885461
Reposted by Erik
Peter @notalawyer.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
“having a bizarre obsession with a daddy figure is not uncommon in right-wing households” good point Amy, people on the right are freaks. they’re freaks and they’re worse than us.
1143946505
Reposted by Erik
Nitro Nine Milkshake @adamclegg.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Happy Birthday to Sylvester McCoy and Sophie Aldred, the best TARDIS Team we ever had. Yes even better than whoever you’re thinking of.
static.klipy.com
Doctor Who: Seventh Doctor Sylvester McCoy Hits Dalek
ALT: Doctor Who: Seventh Doctor Sylvester McCoy Hits Dalek
1249
Erik @sjcaustenite.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
If you cannot write about your field coherently, you are not an expert. A lot of science minded folks have taken to using AI because it saves them the "hard work" of writing. But the hard work of writing is where you actually figure out what you think. It is crucial, not optional.
010