Old Fucking Punk @lwriemen@librem.one

This is the CDC under the Dems. We are so fucked.

"We knew last time that mpox had the potential to spread through the air, but the CDC continued to insist it was only transmitted through direct contact, specifically through "kisses" and "needles," evoking prejudice without naming it.The Biden administration bungled things further, missing a chance to order vaccines and then promoting thinly veiled stereotypes..."

https://www.okdoomer.io/why-you-dont-need-to-panic-about-mpox/

I do realize I'm screaming into a void, but writing this email was cathartic.

Major tech companies are producing far more carbon emissions than they suggest in their sustainability reports.

They’re lobbying hard to rewrite the rules on how emissions are calculated to show net zero on paper, but not in practice.

https://www.ft.com/content/2d6fc319-2165-42fb-8de1-0edf1d765be3

#tech #climate #emissions #climatechange

The many age-verification laws passed recently "were never intended to be narrow measures to protect children, despite being presented that way. And these quotes confirm their true purpose,” EFF’s @aaronmackey told @theintercept. https://theintercept.com/2024/08/16/project-2025-russ-vought-porn-ban/

Page views is a terrible measure for the success of information transfer. But it's a worse measure for successful governance.

Wonder why Statistics New Zealand's Government Chief Data Steward accomplishes nothing? Page views are the only target they have.

Improve data quality across government (ie. their mission)? not being measured.

Implement Algorithm Governance? not measured.

Either of their marginally functional data ethics initiatives? not measured.

🧵end 2/2

Just listening to super-keen VC-funded bio-technologists rearranging the deck chairs for the NZ Dairy industry... https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/saturday/audio/2018951586/anti-methane-vaccine-could-reduce-impact-of-cow-burps *If* we could reduce the impact from ruminant methane production... it wouldn't do a *single thing* for the nitrogen pollution those ruminants create. So a win on methane (unlikely though it is), is still a huge loss for the environment & drinkable/swimable water here in Aotearoa. We just need to massive cut the herd. Some dairy farmers just need to stop.

#coreboot will be present at #froscon with a booth! And we will do some live hacking :)

We would love to talk with you about latest open source #firmware developments. See you there! 😊

Please buy A.I., it is very stupid. https://brianmcfadden.org/2024/08/09/sam-altmans-a-i-bubble-burstin-blowout/

@jerry did an interesting writeup on patterns of racist and other bigoted harassment on Mastodon: https://social.coop/@jerry@infosec.exchange/112887084723376570

The writeup is gives a description of what the recurring dynamics look like from the vantage point of an instance moderator.

I feel like this probably isn't the complete story of racist dynamics on Mastodon, but it's an important pattern for users to be aware of.

CNN is not a reputable source for reporting on South American elections.

If they are presenting rounding as evidence, that means they don't have any real evidence.

https://dissidentvoice.org/2024/08/cnns-fraudulent-analysis-of-fraud-in-the-venezuelan-presidential-election/

Latest reminder that if you buy something that the maker calls "smart" you are setting yourself up for being ripped off.

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/08/smart-sous-vide-cooker-to-start-charging-2-month-for-10-year-old-companion-app/?utm_brand=arstechnica&utm_social-type=owned&utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social

I go out of my way to avoid "smart" stuff -- but it's increasingly difficult to find.

Someone will make a lot of money when they open a store that sells things that purchasers fully own.

Long-term goal: retake the phrase “good enough for government work” as a shorthand for the rigorous standards that government agencies [rarely, but increasingly often] impose on custom software projects' quality.

As in, "sure, your code is good, but is it good enough for government work?”

It’s one of the bloodiest wars of the modern era—but the vast majority of casualties are civilians on one side. You can decide what to call that.

#politics #war #gaza #israel https://journa.host/@fulelo/112968125898624163

Dear universe,

I should not need Adobe software in order to sign a form.

Signed,
Me

P.S. Have you maybe noticed that electronic signatures are kind of a load of nonsense anyway?

According to xenophobic politicians all over, but particularly in America, immigrants are simultaneously lazy freeloading rapist criminals who murder and peddle drugs AND ALSO are taking all the legit American jobs (more than 100% of them if Cheeto Mussolini is to be believed). 🙄

Unrelated but it's a feature of fascism to present its enemies as being both weak and strong, disorganised and mighty, clueless and all-knowing at the same time and depending on the context.

#NoBordersNoWalls

So following Doctorow's links I find in Wilholts comment where he states this law, a statement for the counterpoint equally well stated -
"So this tells us what anti-conservatism must be: the proposition that the law cannot protect anyone unless it binds everyone, and cannot bind anyone unless it protects everyone."

Worth repeating. Certainly reflects our current government -
Wilhoit's law, "Conservatism consists of exactly one proposition, to wit: There must be in-groups whom the law protects but does not bind, alongside out-groups whom the law binds but does not protect"
https://pluralistic.net/2024/08/15/private-law/