John Shortess

I grew up on the 1st generation of CTW shows. Then my first job after college was at a PBS station in the early 90s, so I saw every Ghostwriter ep MANY times. When I heard the backstory many years later it felt so right given all the hints dropped in the show. I wish that reveal had made it to air.

The covers of five books by Charlie Jane Anders and Annalee Newitz, with the Humble Bundle logo. Supporting the MIss Major/Alexander J. Lee TGIJP Black Trans Cultural Center.

HI! Every Tor Books release from @annaleen.bsky.social and me is available thru @humblebundle.com for a few weeks!

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Get 4 books for at least $10
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This bundle supports the amazing TGI Justice Project!

www.humblebundle.com/books/charli...

Rubber ducks work for emails, too?

Also Blake's 7. And while I haven't seen it in almost 43 years, I remember the M*A*S*H finale as being excellent but not quite perfect.

Babylon 5. Six Feet Under. Halt and Catch Fire. The West Wing. St. Elsewhere (fight me).

I do have that song to thank for a joke that has caused MANY friends, family members and coworkers to choose violence over the past 40 years. Q: Where does Phil Collins record all his songs? A: In the stu-stu-studio.

My family members have learned to hide their reactions so they can deny me the satisfaction. The best I can usually get these days is "Riiiiiiiiight."

I didn't work at CompuServe, but was a very active user, and I remember we called progressive GIFs "creamy" and interlaced GIFs "crunchy."

Because I’m a big (U.S.) public radio nerd, I read that as every dude is trying to look like B.J. Leiderman.

I thought Seaquest DMV was sitting through summer traffic jams on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge?

I have a friend who’s parent to an enby kid, but also a huge HP fan, and has a several-times-a-week CFA habit. I can’t even begin to even.

This is going to be life-changing. Or at least kitchen-changing. Thank you!!!

N: Reykjavik, Iceland
S: Key West, Florida, USA
E: Pompeii, Italy
W: Skagway, Alaska, USA

With Tom Lehrer's passing, I suppose this is a moment to share the story of the prank he played on the National Security Agency, and how it went undiscovered for nearly 60 years.

Using only a restaurant, tell us where you went to college.

I had that same realization two weeks ago — I built my first website while working the long 4th of July weekend in 1995, and that’s basically been my full-time job ever since. “In web years, I’m dead.”

post an unusual sign if you feel like it

Dunno what’s out towards DC, but walking along the W&OD near Dulles this afternoon I saw a B-29, a B-25, and a C-47 taking off after an event at Udvar-Hazy.

Back in 1992 I gave John Lithgow and his son directions during an event I was working in Harvard Yard. A third of a century and one supremely unfortunate casting announcement later, I wish I'd get another opportunity to tell him where to go.

I'd only been vaguely aware of Va. higher ed issues until this weekend, when my daughter decided to accept her offer from UVA (for BS in physics). How much are recent issues caused by Ryan, vs. Youngkin meddling through the BofV? How easily can (hopefully) Spanberger fix? I need to look into this.

That just might make you an honorary GenXer, where 1985 is perpetually just 15 years ago.

Hey, did you know there's an alternative to ChatGPT that makes sense economically and doesn't destroy the environment?
It's called English majors and they will happily fix all of your documents for the low price of health insurance and a living wage.

Ooh, even better! Thanks!

I caught the last half of this in the car on WAMU yesterday evening, and made a mental note to find the story (and the documentary) this morning. Your post popped up in my feed before I even had a chance to look. I now know what I'm watching on PBS Passport tonight!

I almost forgot! Happy Cheese Weasel Day to all the geeks celebrating today!

When my job went full remote during covid, a work-life balance thing I started doing is "walking home from work" every day. I'd close my laptop and go out for a 2-3 mile walk, and when I got back I was "at home" rather than "at work." It's been great for both my physical and mental health!

A big part of the problem is stupid people have been convinced by rich people that AI is God, when AI is closer to an automatic dog food dispenser.

This news was one of the few bright spots in a very dark week. Being reminded this was Gwen's church (who I worked with on WW 25 years ago) makes it even sweeter! Still miss her.

Looks like the account got suspended in the 15ish seconds between when I clicked on the account and when I clicked submit on the report.

the death of 18F/USDS is much sadder than losing something like direct file. USDS grew out of the team that helped fix healthcare.gov, and was a team dedicated towards recruiting tech talent to taking on deeply complicated tech debt in the government.

The loss of USDS is an end of an era.