2021 archive
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
And,as we learn time and time again, a polite society is a clean society.
Police said the single bullet went through his arm and hit his girlfriend in the abdomen while sitting in a chair nearby. A teenage girl was in another room but was not hurt, police said.
Facebook Frolics 0
Zuckerborg assimilation frolics. Here’s a bit from the EFF’s deep dive into Facebook’s proposal for “reforming” the decades old law that regulation the internet; follow the link for the complete piece.
Afterthought:
I believe that law is long overdue for a second look. The central provision currently in question was designed to protect neutral platforms from liability for content posted by users.
At the time the law was enacted, the primary platforms were web hosting providers, BBSes, and services such as AOL and Compuserve.
The era of the algorithm had not yet arrived. I believe that now, in the era of the algorithm, when platforms manipulate content to promote “engagement” and “attract eyeballs,” those platforms are no longer neutral in any sense and should be held accountable for the actions of their algorithms.
But the Zuckerborg’s plan to perpetuate its predominance is not the way to go about it.
Rather, what we need is another Teddy Roosevelt.
Mobbed Up 0
At The Roanoke Times, John Freivalds suggests that mob-like behavior has played a larger role in American history that we are willing to recognize. It’s an interesting take; here’s a snippet:
Geeking Out 0
The Plasma Desktop on Debian Buster/Sid on my new Thinkpenguin laptop. The wallpaper is from my collection.
No Surprises Here 0
At The Colorado Sun, Mike Littwin reacts to the latest spate of mass shootings in the United States. A nugget:
But we cannot claim surprise. We used to ask if this is really who we are. No one asks that anymore.
Tales of the Trumpling, a Notion of Immigrants Dept. 0
The Rude One explains how and why the situation at the southwestern border is a direct result of the incompetence and venality of the previous federal executive. (Warning: Language.)
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
Once again, a child is polite to another child.
The NRA will likely argue that, had the other child been packin–oh, never mind.
The Courage of Their Conniptions, Reprise 0
Warning: Short commercial at the end. (Also, I haven’t worn a watch in years. I have cellphone with a clock.)
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.
Facebook Frolics 0
Afterthought:
It’s not just that Facebook is bad. It’s that it is also incompetent
