kwheaton

Teaching and learning about the future, designer of Widget and The Mind's Lie

[kwheaton @kwheaton]

Is this true? It seems like it could be, but...

[Jeremiah Johnson 🌐 @JeremiahDJohns]

From the incredible blog Chinese DoomScroll:

If you ever see a disaster in China where exactly 35 people die, it's because 36+ means the mayor gets fired. It's fascinating in a horrifying way how authoritarian systems always develop their own unique post-truth quirks.

[Jaanika Merilo @jaanikamerilo]

Great reminders of Russian negotiation technique by @kajakallas

[kwheaton @kwheaton]

@Prune602 I enjoy reading your analysis. I took your big spreadsheet and dumped it into Anthropic's latest version of Claude 3.5 Sonnet to see what it thinks. Based on this data and what is "knows" about Russian rail, here is what it gave back: https://t.co/nd5d02C2vu

[Mick Ryan, AM @WarintheFuture]

Russian Firepower Strike Tracker: Analyzing missile attacks by Russia against #Ukraine. An initiative from ⁦@CSIS⁩ https://t.co/OdfQa7skmw

[kwheaton @kwheaton]

I have read this report as well. It is a wake-up call.

[kwheaton @kwheaton]

This is a pretty brutal deepfake.

[Euromaidan Press @EuromaidanPress]

“I celebrate my last birthday, help the Ukrainian army as much as you can”

Hackers delivered yet another birthday greeting to Putin by breaking into regular network TV programming in Russian-occupied Crimea

[David G. Rand @dgrand.bsky.social @DG_Rand]

🚨Out in Nature!🚨
Many (eg Trump JimJordan @elonmusk) have accused social media of anti-conservative bias
Is this accurate?
We test empirically - and it's more complicated than you might think: conservatives ARE suspended more, but also share more misinfo https://t.co/xVcTUDdCEx

[AFP News Agency @AFP]

VIDEO: In just over two decades, Helio da Silva has single-handedly planted about 40,000 trees in the urban jungle that is Sao Paulo.

[Samuel Bendett @sambendett]

Ukraine's "Protector" logistics and combat heavy UGV https://t.co/kQKH7uomzl

[Jack Murphy @JackMurphyRGR]

This is a great paper on a growing trend in intelligence operations. Literally using Uber drivers to commit operational acts. It's happening here in the United States.

https://t.co/inU27QzYOv

[TWZ @thewarzonewire]

Link 16 Coverage From Space, Laser Communications Relays Make Major Advances

The Space Development Agency is seeing major promise during testing of new low-cost Link 16 datalink, laser communications, and missile tracking satellites.

Story: https://t.co/kBzHdZnQkX

[WarTranslated @wartranslated]

Russians are noting the effectiveness of the mass use of drones with incendiary liquid, saying that Russia has once again fallen behind Ukraine in terms of innovation.

[kwheaton @kwheaton]

If true, both sides will begin to use it, and the devastation it can do to cities and softer targets will be immense.

[PS01 □ @PStyle0ne1]

New gifts for the Katsaps‼️🔥

"Thermite mixture - 500-530g.
Aluminum pipe, circuit board, ignition - 200g.
Total weight 700 - reactions 3-4 seconds.
Active combustion time is about 2 minutes. After this, the molten metal continues to work.
Combustion temperature – up to 2500°C
For setting fire to joint ventures, dugouts, armored vehicles, and automotive equipment.
If it hits a horizontal part of a lightly armored vehicle, it can burn through it.
Works more reliably when dropped from low altitudes.
Cost 450 UAH/piece about 12 USD

Store in a dry place at room temperature" 😈

[kwheaton @kwheaton]

I've used thermite in controlled environments and it is terrifying. I can't imagine what it is like to be on the receiving end of this.

[Artoir @ItsArtoir]

The most terrifying development in drone warfare I’ve seen thus far. Makes FPVs with unitary warheads look like a walk in the park.

The POV videos of incendiary rockets cascading burning magnesium and thermite were horrifying, but this is next level.

[Visegrád 24 @visegrad24]

Algorithms are a powerful weapon that can be used to manipulate audiences.

The CCP is using the TikTok algorithm to promote China.

The longer a user spends on TikTok, the likelier they are to rank China positively on human rights.

This graph from an NCRI study shows just how effective the TikTok algorithm is and how much impact it has on users.

[kwheaton @kwheaton]

@kamilkazani E Pluribus Unum

[kwheaton @kwheaton]

@shashj @TheEconomist "The Button"--The 1985 book by journalist Daniel Ford. Top notch writing and research.

[PS01 □ @PStyle0ne1]

It is not worth it for the Russians to fight in Kursk😁

They get much higher benefit with the SVO (special military operation, right column) than with the counter terrorism operation (KTO, left column)

For instance, wound = RUB 3M in Ukraine but only RUB 10K in Kursk

[Quentin Sommerville @sommervilletv]

Ukraine's future war, drones on the frontline. With @dcinfocus and thanks to @StuHollandEsq Liubov Sholudko, Chris Gibson