I just signed a petition calling for Norwegian universities to use research expertise on AI when deciding how to implement it, rather than having decisions be made mostly administratively. , If you are a researcher in Norway, please read it and sign it if you agree – and share with anyone else who might be interested. The petition was written by three researchers at UiT: Maria Danielsen (a philosopher who completed her PhD in 2025 on AI and ethics, including discussions of art and working life), Knut Ørke (Norwegian as a second language), and Holger Pötzsch (a professor of media studies with many years of research on digital media, video games, disruption, and working life, among other topics). This is not about preventing researchers from exploring AI methods in their research. It is about not uncritically accepting the hype that everyone must use AI everywhere without critical reflection. It is about not introducing Copilot as the default option in word processors, or training PhD candidates to believe they will fall behind if they do not use AI when writing articles, without proper academic discussion. Changes like these should be knowledge-based and discussed academically, not merely decided administratively, because they alter the epistemological foundations of research. Maria wrote to me a couple of months ago because she had read my opinion piece in Aftenposten in which I called for a strong brake on the use of language models in knowledge work. She was part of a committee tasked with developing UiT’s AI strategy and was concerned because there was so much hype and so few members of the committee with actual expertise in AI. I fully support the petition. There are probably some good uses for AI in research, but the uncritical, hype-driven insistence that we must simply adopt it everywhere is highly risky. There are many researchers in Norway with strong expertise in AI, language, ethics, working life, and culture. We must make use of this expertise. This is also partly about respect for research in the humanities, social sciences, psychology, and law. Introducing AI at universities and university colleges is not merely a technical issue, and perhaps not even primarily a technical one. It concerns much more: philosophy of science, methodological reflection, epistemology, writing, publishing, the working environment, and more. […]
vika
Have you played with the stovetop espresso makers that have the frothing bit on top, where the coffee comes out? It’s weighted, so the steam has to build up before it’ll go POP, and suddenly there’s a lot of frothy, gorgeous espresso all at once. I highly recommend them both for the crema and for the amusement value.
Jill
Maybe that’s what I have? Weighted? Huh? Mine, you put the water in the bottom, when the pressure’s high enough it comes, well, not popping out the top but trickling then frothing fast.
It actually goes pop? Mine just wooshes 🙂
I like it though.
vika
Take a look at this page. From the photo you posted, you seem to have a Moka Express or similar. I was talking about the Brikka, which is identical except for the weighted gadget inside in the top part. It goes pop, whereas – you’re right – the Moka just wooshes. 🙂
Jill
Oh, yes, I have exactly that coffee maker. The Moka Express. I still don’t entirely get the Brikka but I’m going to check it out next time I go to the coffee pot shop which’ll be soon because that rubber ring thing is getting rather scruffy.
Do you have a Brikka? There’s really a big difference?
vika
I have one of both: my Moka only serves one, so when Ethan moved here I was looking to buy a larger espresso maker and came across the Brikka in Rome. Sadly, neither kind is significantly cheaper there than in the States anymore. The Brikka is oh, something like 5 Euro more than the Moka. Does it make a difference? If you’re into espresso-without-milk, it does: the frothy crema is much better. Other than that, taste-wise, I have not noticed a difference: if you know what you’re doing, both make excellent coffee.
Mmm, coffee! I pour myself a travel mug’s worth as I go to teach a seminar on humanities computing in a medieval Italian literature class over here. Two and a half HOURS! I get them all to myself!!
Jill
Oh, I love your enthusiasm, Vika. And yeah, it is pretty special, having ’em all to yourselfs. Unless you’re exhausted 🙂
I like milk in my coffee. Strong espresso and quite a lot of milk is my favourite. So perhaps the creaminess won’t matter much.
diane
You know, I’ve got one of these (the Moka) and I’ve had no luck at all. The coffee is not espresso-like — rather too thin, with very little crema. Tastes not too good. And it comes out too hot, practically boiling. What am I doing wrong?
Jill
Really? I love the taste of my Moka-made coffee.
You’re using espresso-ground coffee, not coffee beans ground for a perculator or a plunger?
I think I’ll go make some coffee 🙂
diane greco
Yeah… I think I’m using too much water. Any thoughts about the ideal ratio?
Hugs,
Diane
Jill
I fill the bottom bit up to the valve (so water doesn’t cover the valve), loosely place ground coffee in that coffee bit and it doesn’t need to be packed or to be completely utterly full – at least not according to my taste.
It occurs to me that you also need coffee that’s espresso BURNT. You getting that?
Henning
There’s a line in the water container that marks the maximum level of water. Look closely cause it isn’t easy to discover at first.
When it comes to taste. The higher pressure the better espresso. The idea is that the water must travel as quickly through the ground coffee as possible so that as little acid as possible is extracted in the process. The longer time the water takes through the ground coffee the more acid. Thats why good espresso machines have a pressure of at least 15 bar. When it comes to the Moka type machines you get the best results, in my opinion, when putting the Moka on a preheated stove so that it quickly boils.
Henning
Oh yes.. I forgot to mention that keeping the Moka clean is very very important for the best results. This is something that even professionals in cafes oversees (even in the popular ones) and it really bugs me. Equipment that is not clean makes the coffe kind of sour.
Anonymous
Thanks, Henning and Jill! The coffee is roasted to a turn… so I think the problem is that I’m using waaay too much water and probably also overpacking it. Will try & report back with my findings. Yum!
Jill
Oh, pressure, I hadn’t actually realised that about pressure, though it certainly makes sense.
OleK
trackback test + coffee
i have tried to set up my blog to send trackbacks. in this post someone comments on keeping their espresso maker clean. i have heard that they only get better with use and that italian families fight over the espresso…