Will Slack @wslack.bsky.social · 29/09/2026Our public conversation has become dominated by shameless people because the nuance of wisdom can't break through the noise of hyper-optimized engagement algorithms. Nuance is thoughtful, balanced, and boring. It doesn't hold eyeballs. It's also what runs successful organizations. 011
Reposted by Will SlackCarla Rae @peace1carla.bsky.social · 15/07/2025Every woman you know has taken a longer route. Has doubled back on herself. Has pretended to dawdle by a shop window. Has held her keys in her hand. Has made a fake phone call. Has rounded a corner and run. Every woman you know has walked home scared. Every woman you know. 181
Reposted by Will SlackJoe Flynn @chinajoeflynn.bsky.social · 23/09/2026I work with Afghan immigrants in Virginia. Thousands were promised visa, vetted, and ready to come to America after our military pulled out and the Taliban retook the country. The Trump administration ended this last year. This includes the 1039 Afghans stuck at Camp As Sayliyah in Qatar. 240077
Reposted by Will SlackAnnalee @flowerhorne.com · 19/09/2026Insisting that LLMs are Not People is not an academic argument about the nature of sapience or free will. It's a rejection of accountability laundering. If non-determinism made machines responsible for their own actions then revolvers used in Russian Roulette should be indicted for murder. 137484
Reposted by Will SlackBryan Cantrill @bcantrill.bsky.social · 13/09/2026The contagion of fear bcantrill.dtrace.org/2026/09/13/t...bcantrill.dtrace.orgThe contagion of fear | The Observation Deck 1624183
Reposted by Will SlackRaffi Melkonian @rmfifthcircuit.bsky.social · 13/09/2026Random note; since my dad passed away last December, I’ve been handling all of my mom’s mail and accounts. It is incredible. How many scams are aimed at the elderly in this country, including my companies that superficially seem legitimate. Every week her mail is full of this crap. 851807269
Reposted by Will SlackJeremy Sheff @jnsheff.bsky.social · 12/09/2026The problem with private monitoring is a classic collective action problem: if any one private monitor identifies risks that the target does not want to abate, the target can simply contract for a more pliant monitor. 26817
Will Slack @wslack.bsky.social · 12/09/2026We didn‘t need a multi-billion dollar national security state to secure against that mode of attack. Ordinary people did what had to be done in the moment. 000
Will Slack @wslack.bsky.social · 11/09/2026The National Debt has basically doubled since the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nationa...) failed in 2010 to find compromise palatable to the extreme views that dominate our politics. It's all worse now and no one in power is acting responsibly.en.wikipedia.orgNational Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform - Wikipedia 000
Reposted by Will SlackHisham Zerriffi @hishamzerriffi.bsky.social · 04/09/2026Happy Rice Truck Day! Truly one of the best threads from the old site. I remember sitting in my couch waiting for the next instalment of the saga. 0125
Will Slack @wslack.bsky.social · 26/08/2026Dolly Parton loved her neighbors as herself, and were all the richer for it. She provided good cheer, amusement, and musical artistry, using the revenue to fund band uniforms and books. Her memory is a blessing and an example. 000
Reposted by Will SlackBobby Kogan @bbkogan.bsky.social · 24/08/2026Every time I update this graph it still makes my jaw drop 1670690
Reposted by Will Slackdillo saint dillo @dillo.media · 19/08/2026"we can learn so much from these betting sites" 624295634
Reposted by Will SlackKevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 08/08/2026This might be the greatest example of "Twitter isn't real life." 893430581
Will Slack @wslack.bsky.social · 08/08/2026"I cannot fathom is how readily people trust, “I’m oBsEsSeD with this XYZ,” “my hair/skin/sleep has never been betterrrrr,” delivered in a haze of vocal fry by someone with a financial incentive, whose last obsession was 15 minutes ago and whose next one is already on deck being negotiated. 1/ 100
Will Slack @wslack.bsky.social · 05/08/2026For your consideration, my childhood friend Bea had some grarley healthcare situations in childhood that continue to reverberate, and is seeking support to augment insurance for intensive (and possible residential) mental health treatment. gofund.me/7deb77643gofund.meDonate to Help Bea Get Treatment!, organized by Bea WoodworthHey. It’s me, Bea. If you don’t know me, I'm a 37-year-old transfeminine non-binary pe… Bea Woodworth needs your support for Help Bea Get Treatment! 000
Will Slack @wslack.bsky.social · 05/08/2026There's little effect condemning the bad actions of political opponents, but politicians won't win any friends (or will lose support) condemning the bad actions of political allies, so they treat real moral concerns inconsistently and voters rightly see partisanship > morality. 000
Will Slack @wslack.bsky.social · 26/07/2026In 2025: 1,295,857 women earned 59.8% of all bachelor’s degrees. 550,124 women earned 63.6% of master’s degrees. 119,696 women (58.9%) graduated from doctoral or professional programs. Men matriculate less and drop out more. (educationdata.org/number-of-co...) We don't discuss these gaps enough.educationdata.orgCollege Graduation Statistics [2026]: Total Graduates per YearFind college graduation statistics, including the annual number of college graduates by state, degree, discipline, and demographics. 000
Reposted by Will SlackEMILY WILSON @emilyrcwilson.bsky.social · 23/07/2026There is a lot to say about the Nolan Odyssey movie. But one point that I think has not been emphasized enough is: this is a film about living in LA, as Nolan, my erstwhile British compatriot and age mate, has done for years. I gather it’s a strange place. 403398718
Reposted by Will SlackSam Freedman @samfr.bsky.social · 22/07/2026Look the way she translates the opening versus other versions. It's incredible. 2426250
Reposted by Will SlackChris Forster @cforster.bsky.social · 12/07/2026After trying to use contextualized embeddings for something, I wrote way more than I intended to in an attempt to understand how contextualized embeddings actually work. And then compared them to Cleanth Brooks's description of poetry. cforster.com/2026/07/assa...cforster.comAssays of Bias: LLMs and Geometries of MeaningTrying to understand how LLMs represent meaning by way of a discussion of Cleanth Brooks's account of poetic paradox. 1257
Reposted by Will SlackChris Kuang @chriskuang.com · 05/07/2026Every time it’s a jump scare when I see USDC, but it’s actually just the stablecoin 011
Reposted by Will SlackChristopher Whitaker @civicwhitaker.com · 05/05/2026Civic technology teams have to keep four monsters in their heads at all times: How we think things work (layperson), how the law actually works (lawyer), how the software works (coder) & what that actually looks like in reality (constituent) The art, and something AI is crappy at, is the merge. 222
Reposted by Will Slackashley fairbanks @ziibiing.com · 25/04/2026AI identified her as the suspect in a crime spree in states she had never been to. she was in jail for six months before she even got to speak with an officer and they instantly were shown they had no case. she lost everything—her house, dog, car, and was left stranded in north dakota. 291723708
Will Slack @wslack.bsky.social · 24/04/2026We could pass a law ending partisan gerrymandering today - either via proportional representation, algorithmically drawn districts with party vetos, or many other options. 000
Reposted by Will SlackKyra Dempsey - Admiral Cloudberg @kyracloudy.bsky.social · 19/04/202610/10 trip it was a blast. You know that stupid question "what if you used 100% of your brain," well we used 100% of the car and I have to recommend it 3401
Will Slack @wslack.bsky.social · 16/04/2026I wish there was a scientific way to measure the human capital of Congress. Not speech-giving or fundraising abilities, more doing (in theory) the actual job of hiring staff, writing laws, passing budgets, etc etc. I suspect that over time, more and more strong people have passed on that job. 120
Will Slack @wslack.bsky.social · 14/04/2026The truth emerges with a whimper after the baseless allegation reverberated round the world: variety.com/2026/music/n... 010
Will Slack @wslack.bsky.social · 13/04/2026LLMs are not as smart as their strongest public proponents not as empty as their strongest public detractors. We are at the "using leaches as medicine" stage of sophistication in understanding them. Yet social media tends to amplify those extreme takes the most, because they get *engagement." :/ 110
Reposted by Will SlackMichael Hobbes @michaelhobbes.bsky.social · 13/04/2026Not dunking on Zack or this post, I’m just always struck by how easily American journalists will admit that the media shapes public polling and political outcomes when they’re not talking about America. 4149981015
Reposted by Will SlackYoz Grahame @yoz.bsky.social · 05/04/2026if you think software generated by LLMs is inherently worse than code typed by humans, then please sit down, because i'm about to give you some terrible news: you have considerably overestimated how good we, as a species, are at creating reliable software 49316
Will Slack @wslack.bsky.social · 05/04/2026A desperate, addicted gambler won't admit they lost and cash out with their remaining chips. They rebuy (with other's money if they can), bet more, and go huge - obliterating themselves in the small hope of digging themselves out. Redemption is always possible. Would that it happens. Happy Easter. 010
Reposted by Will SlackCameron Blevins @cblevins.bsky.social · 03/04/2026This is so, so well-articulated. 97107643880
Reposted by Will Slackniki grayson @nikigrayson.com · 02/04/2026right now the astronauts are calling houston because the computer on the spaceship is running two instances of microsoft outlook and they can't figure out why. nasa is about to remote into the computer 37968051799
Will Slack @wslack.bsky.social · 01/04/2026Excellent video on how engine lubrication works from the same creator who taught me everything I know about dishwashers: www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmCf...youtube.comOil pressure is the only thing keeping an engine aliveYouTube video by Technology Connections 000
Will Slack @wslack.bsky.social · 30/03/2026People who despise themselves don't think anyone else cares about their words (because who would ever listen to them when they don't value their own words?), and thus might be more likely to say awful things on the internet. Hrm. 000
Will Slack @wslack.bsky.social · 27/03/2026When the press reports judicial decisions as “judge sides with X“ or “judges back Y” they do a disservice to the judicial process. If judges are simply political actors picking sides, their opinions should not hold the rule of law. Media should say instead “Judge: first amendment sides with X” 0154
Reposted by Will SlackAnupam Chander @anupamchander.bsky.social · 27/03/2026Internal messages of concern about platform decisions were used to great effect by the plaintiffs' attorneys in the social media cases. As @masnick.com observes, this will lead companies to shut down internal dissent channels or internal reviews of risks. www.techdirt.com/2026/03/26/e... 116910
Will Slack @wslack.bsky.social · 25/03/2026Drop eight zeros and federal finances look like a household that earns $52,446 and spends $73,378 — running a $20,932 annual deficit. Its total liabilities and unfunded promises amount to $1,361,788 against $60,554 in assets, leaving it $1.3 million in the hole. fortune.com/2026/03/23/u... 010
Will Slack @wslack.bsky.social · 24/03/2026Had no idea of the history of iodized salt and how important it was/is: www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRcw...youtube.comThe easiest way to make the world smarterYouTube video by Rabbit Hole 001
Will Slack @wslack.bsky.social · 24/03/2026In Heinrich's triangle, there are several unreported incidents/near misses reported for every incident. For every major event not involving a fatality, there are up to 100 incidents that led up to it. And for every fatality, ~10 major events led up to it. 010
Will Slack @wslack.bsky.social · 24/03/2026In Heinrich's triangle, there are several unreported incidents/near misses reported for every incident. For every major event not involving a fatality, there are up to 100 incidents that led up to it. And for every fatality, ~10 major events led up to it. 000
Reposted by Will SlackNicholas Grossman @nicholasgrossman.bsky.social · 23/03/2026They love presenting Election Night(s) like a sports event, where count reports that come in early are like points scored in the first half, so a candidate can "come from behind" or "extend their lead" in the second. It's the highest-rated night of the year, and they won't give it up willingly. 735638
Reposted by Will SlackCyd Harrell @cydharrell.bsky.social · 22/03/2026ranked choice is a fundamental shift in the meaning of "a vote" - Dana Chisnell & I were just remembering a 1-day usability study she led, testing ranked choice ballots with Bay Area voters ~2010. people *struggled*. voters do figure it out, but you see some weird results the first couple elections 181
Will Slack @wslack.bsky.social · 21/03/2026The prices of basic cheap food are just climbing and climbing. 000
Reposted by Will SlackDr Lindsey Fitzharris @drlindseyfitz.bsky.social · 13/03/2026I posted a 1912 photo of a man with smallpox and someone asked if it was AI. That says something about the moment we’re living in: because of vaccination, we’re now so far removed from this virus that real images of it look fake. #medicalhistory #vaccines #vaccineswork #skystorians 422023681
Will Slack @wslack.bsky.social · 14/03/2026Reminds me of Christians who honestly thought being gay was a choice - as If people in the early 2000s wanted to be bullied. We’re doing a lot of talking about instead of hearing from - and socual media shows us the “others” that most align with our worldviews. 030
Reposted by Will SlackKetan Joshi @ketanjoshi.co · 10/03/2026Both of the options here are human writers. The first option is unprocessed human writing and the second option is human writing run through a language model to reproduce the same outputs with different words If it couldn't have existed without training data, it isn't creating anything at all. 19591143
Reposted by Will SlackChris Kuang @chriskuang.com · 09/03/2026What @saahildesai.bsky.social said www.theatlantic.com/technology/2...theatlantic.comInsider Trading Is Going to Get People KilledWar markets are a national-security threat. 011