jrieffel

The blueberry discourse has me curious: can you ask genai to write a python function that counts the number of letters in a given word? Can you ask it to run that function on blueberry and 'b'? (As an AI vegan I refuse to actually use generative AI myself).

This is a pretty solid explainer about what e-bikes are and the rules around them.

What I'd love to see is more coverage of what e-bikes *enable* people to do. Stories about disabled people who use them to gain independence. Or lower income people who benefit from not needing the expense of a car.

Billionaires should ask generative AI to design more deep sea submersibles for them.

I was in favor of simply replacing the torn-up cooking liner, the cracked lid, and the frayed power cord - but was convinced that buying a complete new one was cheaper. There goes my Rice Cooker of Theseus.

Two rice cookers on a wooden countertop in front of a sunny window. The one on the left is beaten and scratched from thirty years of abuse. A brand new identical model sits next to it.

RIP our trusty 30 year old rice cooker.

Welcome our new, identical rice cooker.

I lively crowd at a punk venue. The nerdy aging lead singer yelling into a mic.

Had a great time at the Descendants show in Albany last night. Part of me hopes there was at least one person who showed up expecting the Disney thing instead of this:

On my weekly group ride full of septuagenarians (except me, slumming as a 40-something), one older dude would be laid back when i pulled, but always destroy me in the 100 meters before every stop sign. Yup, he was a former Olympic sprinter.

A still from Jurassic Park. "it's a Unix system. I know this. "

Oh hell yes

Whoever he is, he knows how to exit vim!

Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) in Jurassic Park saying "See, here I am now by myself, talking to myself. That's Chaos Theory. "

@hirokisayama.bsky.social sound familiar?

I grew up on these streets.

May have to cancel next week's Toronto->Schenectady bikepacking trip because of horrific air quality, and anywhere south of PA is going to be insanely hot. Any good bikepacking (road,trail, or packed gravel) loops within a 6 hour drive of Schenectady that are environmentally survivable?

Just bring back Roos! They came with a perfect airpod pocket.

Fixed gear on a grass track?!? Yow.

@icebird.bsky.social

Wait, what kind of self respecting pizza place uses even non-THC canola oil in their dough?!

A proud alum of my employer Union College! Of course I'm a bigger fan of Emma because she took a class with me, and let me hold her bronze medal!

I'm easy to find on Strava...

Was it Curtis White?

3: just close the terminal window.

Geez, I'm offline for like a day and Vance kills Ozzy?

2: unplug your computer from the wall. Replug after 5min. If a laptop remove battery.

1: force restart your computer

One like, one way to exit vim.

I believe you have met your match, who has clearly risen to the challenge.

YouTube video by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert Stephen Colbert Joins The Mountain Goats To Perform 'This Year'

My favorite Colbert moment:

This performance aired right before the pandemic and I watched it nearly every night from 2020 to 2022

youtu.be/T_qkVPZ8DJI?...

Shunned Myanmar leader thrilled at US contact after Trump tariff letter Min Aung Hlaing expresses ‘sincere appreciation’ for letter from US president threatening 40% tariff

That sinking feeling when you accidentally send a tariff letter addressed to the leader of a ruling military junta that the United States refuses to recognize or (otherwise) engage with.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...

Changes to NSF Major Research Instrumentation Program for FY 2026

NSF announced that they will not be accepting new Major Research Instrumentation grants for FY2026. Another step backwards for US academic scientific research. It is like we are trying to fall behind the rest of the world.

www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...

Thanks for the heads up. I'll see how many St. Viateur bagels I can fit into my car driving home from MTL this weekend.

My Own Private Duncan Idaho.

@benwurgaft.bsky.social