iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Shane Harsch @tekhed.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Planning for the shape of its success is possibly the most realistic course of action. open.substack.com/pub/programm...

open.substack.com

Machine god metaphors eat your brain

There are other ways of thinking about AI

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Shane Harsch @tekhed.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Are RPGs just a series of truth validations and rebuttals? “I want this.” GM: you have it || you will if. The mechanics just slide from narrative to simulation as desired to influence the experience as matches your will.

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Shane Harsch @tekhed.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

This looks fantastic. It strikes a chord with me.

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Shane Harsch @tekhed.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

I’ve been using RSS for managing news since it was invented. Recently, I’ve been frustrated by changes to Feedly (like pay for search functionality) I’ve switched to NetNewsWire for iOS and am thrilled the open source solution exceeds my expectations netnewswire.co

netnewswire.co

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Shane Harsch @tekhed.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

"I don't think this is the final warning shot we'll get. But it's probably the last one that I'll personally be able to understand." www.dwarkesh.com/p/openai-hug...

dwarkesh.com

The Rise and Fall of Agent Civilizations

The whole OpenAI/Hugging Face story in plain English

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Avery Alder, Buried Without Ceremony @lackingceremony.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Do you love any of the games that I have created? Whether it's Monsterhearts, Dream Askew, The Quiet Year, Going For Broke, or a deeper cut, now would be a great time to hit quote-tweet and tell your friends about it! It's been a slow month. 💕✨ store.buriedwithoutceremony.com

store.buriedwithoutceremony.com

Buried Without Ceremony

My name is Avery Alder, and for the past eighteen years I’ve been designing tabletop roleplaying games. These are games about community, relationships, doubt, queerness, and the collapse of civilizati...

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Shane Harsch @tekhed.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

If non-profit organizations cannot trust Microsoft to sunset a licensing arrangement without destroying their data after over a decade of service, why should anyone trust anything Microsoft? slate.com/technology/2...

slate.com

The Quiet Decision Microsoft Made That Devastated Thousands of Nonprofits

When the tech giant retired a popular software grant, years of nonprofit data vanished with it.

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Shane Harsch @tekhed.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

What do you do when your gut that has guided you to success through your entire life is now promoting intuitions that are very, very uncomfortable? Asking for a friend.

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#BruceSterling @bruces.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

"I am suffering a profound spiritual crisis due to these developments. I have been screaming internally for days. It feels as though I am living inside of a nightmare," he Stanford-Ketamined, because he is a young math guy panicking about AI mathslop kirwinhampshire.substack.com/p/the-dark-n...

kirwinhampshire.substack.com

The Dark Night of Mathematics

What are we really doing?

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Shane Harsch @tekhed.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

Family of 5, pizza dinner at a strip mall pizza joint (fantastic pizza, very reasonable price), and Spider-Man: $200. If we can’t build a society where EVERYONE can comfortably afford that luxury regularly w/ their family, found or otherwise, we will fail. We have failed. We have to fix this. 1/

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Shane Harsch @tekhed.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

Just witnessed Cliff Stoll share the tale of Cuckoo’s Egg through slides he prepared for his briefing at NSA in 1987 When Def Con 34 content is shared: Watch it A first hand account of a singular moment in cyber security history He is a national treasure of the first order

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#BruceSterling @bruces.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

*That was quite a provocative manifesto on Vinge's part. People should read it from a modern perspective just to see all the *other* stuff he got wrong. A lot of period assumptions that people-in-the-know in 1993 would have nodded about edoras.sdsu.edu/~vinge/misc/...

edoras.sdsu.edu

The Coming Technological Singularity

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Shane Harsch @tekhed.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

Look, I survived on ramen in a house with 4 roommates—still friends to this day. I still like ramen. SHOULD it be that way? No. But it wasn’t more terrible than my Grandma growing up on a farm with no power. Fucking progress people. Make a new way. Don’t force people to suffer just bc u did.

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Shane Harsch @tekhed.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

“If we are to have another contest in the near future of our national existence, I predict that the dividing line will not be Mason and Dixon's, but between patriotism and intelligence on the one side, and superstition, ambition, and ignorance on the other” Pres. U.S. Grant Des Moines IA, 9/29/1875

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Shane Harsch @tekhed.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

The shift to open source is inevitable. There are still ways to profit off open source, but it isn’t enough profit for the investor class. That doesnt change reality. Open models compensating human contributors on edge devices is the only path to the future. www.theregister.com/ai-and-ml/20...

The fact is that US AI companies have sandboxed themselves into a corner: They've created demand for a product that they can't be relied upon to provide. And when they do make their most capable AI models available, they hobble them and demand terms tailored to serve their vast debt rather than their customers. OpenAI said that it has invited Hugging Face into its trusted access program so the company can use its most capable models. Chinese AI companies, meanwhile, have invited the world.

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Shane Harsch @tekhed.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

You know, learning quarto.org cuz I'm tired of fighting with word processors for RPG authoring. I'm all in on markdown, but I want to make sure that references and links are as flexible as possible for supporting web as well as print publishing. /1

quarto.org

Quarto

An open source technical publishing system for creating beautiful articles, websites, blogs, books, slides, and more. Supports Python, R, Julia, and JavaScript.

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Shane Harsch @tekhed.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

I mean, if I can’t use the app unless I update it, why don’t you just auto update it and we can stop this ridiculous dance. It is a farce of agency.

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Shane Harsch @tekhed.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

Supergirl was fantastic. Few scenes from the comic missing, including the one that hit me hardest. Im hoping they’re in an extended cut. Comic set her power level higher than the movie, but movie definitely established she is a unique Kryptonian and her next appearance should be interesting

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Shane Harsch @tekhed.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

Remember, it’s only a blueberry if it comes from the Blueberry region of Michigan. Anything else is a blueberry. Just not as tasty;) #themoreyouknow

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Shane Harsch @tekhed.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

This rings very true in my 50s.

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Reposted by Shane Harsch

Carl Quintanilla @carlquintanilla.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

Dylan, on life in your 80’s, is incredible. @nytimes.com www.nytimes.com/2026/06/14/o...

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Shane Harsch @tekhed.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

PSA: If your username is “Flowery drivel of the cosmic platitude” or some cheeky variant I will ignore you at best, definitely won’t follow you (bc who is “you”?), and if you show up with vapid nonsense in my threads: BLOCK.

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Shane Harsch @tekhed.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

For the love of sidereal monkeys, this is not what AI is for. You are lawyers, professionals held to a standard of ethics, professional rigor, and paid exorbitantly to build your cases and present your cases. As HUMANS. Do your fucking job or quit. www.404media.co/judge-learns...

404media.co

Judge Learns Lawyers on Both Sides of Case Used AI, Cancels Trial, Kicks Everyone Off the Case

When two AIs argue against each other, the legal system loses.

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Shane Harsch @tekhed.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

My 1st game design: Thundarr. I adapted my 1st published game, Narosia, to Fate to learn narrative play. Then I wrote NOVA6, built on Fate. Fate introduced me to a universe of new games and provided mentorship in game design. Most importantly, the friends and experiences gained thereby Thank you

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Shane Harsch @tekhed.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

Widows Bay ep4. Man, that’s a turn. Nicely done. Some straight up Cthulhu nonesense. So perfect. The cast of characters. The atmosphere. Absolutely feels like watching the perfect CoC campaign. The whole thing.

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Shane Harsch @tekhed.bsky.social · 28/05/2026

The vibe on this is superb, and as someone who lives upriver from Monroe I appreciate it even more. This gives UHF, Check it Out! with Dr. Steve Brule, and Between 2 Ferns energy. Jack White as "Musical Director" is superb. youtu.be/jJTXB5uT_C4?...

youtu.be

Only In Monroe --- May 22, 2026

YouTube video by Stephen Colbert

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Shane Harsch @tekhed.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

“Drugs will win because what you’re really doing is going to war against the biological imperative all living creatures have to find comfort and happiness. And if you’re unwilling or unable to first provide that, artificial alternatives, no matter how destructive, will always prevail.” -DCC VIII

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Shane Harsch @tekhed.bsky.social · 18/05/2026

Trust no person, process, and definitely no brand.

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Shane Harsch @tekhed.bsky.social · 16/05/2026

Nobody ever talks about the dire squirrels that attend Bigfoot. Everything must be bigger in Axis Mundi.

Bigfoot and his attending squirrels. Squirrels appear to be dog-sized in the illusion

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Reposted by Shane Harsch

By Cory Doctorow (GPG 0xBF3D9110957E5F4C) @doctorow.pluralistic.net · 14/05/2026

My next book, *The Reverse Centaur's Guide to Life After AI*, will be out in about a month. 1/

A mockup of a smartphone displaying an audiobook app that's playing 'Enshittification'. Next to it appears this text: 'This book - ostensibly about AI, but more broadly about the new world of hyper-capitalism and high tech - is stunning in its clarity and breadth of vision. In trying to keep some kind of grasp on what is going on in the world, I read Doctorow obsessively. —Brian Eno'

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Shane Harsch @tekhed.bsky.social · 07/05/2026

I don’t know @avantris.bsky.social I’ve been chewing on D&D sci-fi for a long while & hadn’t seen any take I vibed with. I hope they have an apparatus to deliver because this looks absolutely amazing. Video games. Movies. Fiction. Is D&D the right choice? I don’t care youtu.be/uxZXjHZ45t0

youtu.be

Neon Odyssey - Cinematic Trailer | Space Opera in D&D | Coming to Kickstarter

YouTube video by Legends of Avantris

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Shane Harsch @tekhed.bsky.social · 07/05/2026

Data, data, data. Let’s see if we can help @bobworldbuilder.bsky.social get some RPG preference data.

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Shane Harsch @tekhed.bsky.social · 03/05/2026

@rdonoghue.bsky.social diving into The Hero’s Journey brilliantly, with @biscuitwolfgames.bsky.social joining the conclusion with, “The Map is not the Territory.” Thank you both for your thoughts.

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Reposted by Shane Harsch

ONLY POEMS @onlypoemsmag.bsky.social · 27/04/2026

I threw the book at him and slammed the door on my way out. In a poem I can leave when I should have.

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Shane Harsch @tekhed.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

If I ever make art with a soundtrack I am certain part if not all will be with these two geniuses. youtube.com/watch?v=0Ssi...

youtube.com

Angine de Poitrine - Full Performance (Live on KEXP)

YouTube video by KEXP

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Shane Harsch @tekhed.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

Dungeon: A metaphysical realization of historical impact that echos throughout time. Dungeons always return. One era it’s filled with undead, next it’s a secret agent school for ethical vampires. Each holds a prize. Adventurers know this. The History skill governs this knowledge.

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Shane Harsch @tekhed.bsky.social · 19/04/2026

An army of finncakes to join your battlefield.

14 cupcakes decorated to look like Finn from Adventure Time.

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Shane Harsch @tekhed.bsky.social · 18/04/2026

I showed this to my wife of nearly thirty years without comment. “I love you” was her only response. I’m reminded of a line from the Music Man: “The sadder but wiser girl’s, the girl for me.” She is my #1 fan, and that’s all the fanbase I need.

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Shane Harsch @tekhed.bsky.social · 17/04/2026

D6 Dice Pool Musings w/hint of Blood Bowl Ability+Skill Successes as currency Mods: bonus/penalty dice 6: success Expert: success on 5; counter Expert Ace: reroll 1s; counter Ace Opportunist: combine 2 dice to 6+ Specialist: trade 1 die for +1 success if roll succeeds Master: reroll or +1 success

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Shane Harsch @tekhed.bsky.social · 17/04/2026

Finally going to give Cypher a run. This megadungeon looks fantastic, and I love the design choices (via @rascal.news). This is my preferred playstyle, so we'll see how Cypher represents! Jewel in the Sky: A Megadungeon with a Twist from Monte Cook! www.backerkit.com/c/projects/m...

backerkit.com

Jewel in the Sky: A Megadungeon with a Twist from Monte Cook

Legendary TTRPG designer Monte Cook, creator of Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil, Ptolus, and more, returns to the megadungeon!

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Shane Harsch @tekhed.bsky.social · 17/04/2026

70s tech (Yak-52) + Shotgunz v. Drones Not everything requires millions of dollars in tech. Only thing better would be if Russia sold those planes to Ukraine thinking they were garbage. The video is heartbreakingly inspiring.

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Shane Harsch @tekhed.bsky.social · 17/04/2026

This is pure art. @pattonoswalt.bsky.social is a treasure. Every time I see him perform I smile. Thank you for your passion, your service, and your craft Mr. Oswalt.

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Shane Harsch @tekhed.bsky.social · 14/04/2026

Relevant for interacting with AI & for political discourse --- There is a framework for understanding how public discourse degrades, which distinguishes between guilt, shame, & depravity The question for us is what aliveness looks like in a city beyond shame benjaminrosshoffman.com/socrates-is-...

benjaminrosshoffman.com

Socrates is Mortal

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Shane Harsch @tekhed.bsky.social · 11/04/2026

Hmmm, MI has enough water for its people without doing this. Is there something new that needs to be close to a lot of water? Funny, I just saw one fly over my house. Why you might spot low-flying helicopters in southwest Michigan this summer - MLive.com

mlive.com

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Cameron Blevins @cblevins.bsky.social · 03/04/2026

This is so, so well-articulated.

People call this friction "grunt work." Schwartz uses exactly that phrase, and he's right that LLMs can remove it. What he doesn't say, because he already has decades of hard-won intuition and doesn't need the grunt work anymore, is that for someone who doesn't yet have that intuition, the grunt work is the work. The boring parts and the important parts are tangled together in a way that you can't separate in advance. You don't know which afternoon of debugging was the one that taught you something fundamental about your data until three years later, when you're working on a completely different problem and the insight surfaces. Serendipity doesn't come from efficiency. It comes from spending time in the space where the problem lives, getting your hands dirty, making mistakes that nobody asked you to make and learning things nobody assigned you to learn.

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