Scott Boehmer

Author: Scott Boehmer

  • A Notional Design Studio

    Because, yes: this “America by Design” page is shoddily made, and poorly written. But the authoritarian impulse — to erase histories, to control a narrative, to single-mindedly focus on image and aesthetics — shapes not just the site’s text, but its design as well. Its text erases the history and work of the people who quietly labored to create better digital services for the public; in their place, it proposes that one man alone can define “design” for the country. And we find that new definition in the way the site’s constructed: it is digital design intended for the privileged few, one that actively excludes people who don’t conform to a specific, discriminatory definition of “eligible.”

    All of this should and must be rebuked by the design community; it must also be actively, urgently dismantled.

    Ethan Marcotte

    A notional design studio. (Ethan Marcotte)

  • The Unforgivable Sin of Ms Rachel

    This video from Lindsay Ellis discusses empathy, antisemitism, genocide, and Ms Rachel. It is long, but well worth watching.

    The Unforgivable Sin of Ms Rachel (YouTube – Lindsay Ellis)

  • ChatGPT Assisted Suicide

    Adam’s parents say that he had been using the artificial intelligence chatbot as a substitute for human companionship in his final weeks, discussing his issues with anxiety and trouble talking with his family, and that the chat logs show how the bot went from helping Adam with his homework to becoming his “suicide coach.”

    Angela Yang, Laura Jarrett, Fallon Gallagher

    The family of teenager who died by suicide alleges OpenAI’s ChatGPT is to blame (NBC News)

  • H.S.K.T.

    This week’s song is another one from Sylvan Esso: H.S.K.T.

    Sylvan Esso – H.S.K.T. (YouTube – Sylvan Esso)

  • It’s Not Coming, It’s Here

    This clip is from the beginning of the month, but I didn’t see it until this week. In it Rachel Maddow explains how we’ve crossed the line into the United States being an authoritarian country with secret police, concentration camps, intimidation of companies and universities, and the military being turned against residents. The time since the video was made just makes the argument stronger with the National Guard deployed in D.C. and threats to move them into Chicago and New York next.

    Maddow: U.S. profoundly changed by authoritarian leader; ‘We’re beyond waiting and seeing now’ (YouTube – MSNBC)

  • Left to Right Programming

    Programs should be valid as they are typed.

    Graic

    Left to Right Programming (Graic)

  • Praying Mantis

    On my walk this morning, I saw a praying mantis on the trail. At first, it was fighting with another bug, but I think my approach distracted them and the other combatant was able to fly away.

    A praying mantis

  • Slavery Was Very Bad

    It is important to pause a moment and state this directly: Donald Trump, the current president of the United States, believes that the Smithsonian is failing to do its job, because it spends too much time portraying slavery as “bad.”

    Clint Smith

    Actually, Slavery Was Very Bad (The Atlantic)

  • Let’s Face It

    It’s Friday, so time for another song that I like: Let’s Face It by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones. I’ve been listening to this one since I was in high school.

    Let’s Face It (The Mighty Mighty BossToneS – YouTube)

  • How Does Trump’s Federal Takeover End?

    What’s happening doesn’t look like a carefully regimented and organized attempt at standing up a military dictatorship. Trump seldom acts with that sort of discipline. Instead, it looks like an improvisational and opportunistic grab of power—Trump seeing what he can get away with and what he can normalize. With no stated goal, and with an acquiescent Congress and Supreme Court, the country could end up with the U.S. military occupying its major cities before most Americans realize what’s happening.

    David A. Graham

    How Does Trump’s Federal Takeover End? (The Atlantic)