I recently wrote about people who’ve spoken truth to power in tech over the past decade. Given the events of this week, I feel like this history is very relevant—we didn’t arrive at technofeudalism without a very long on-ramp. And (some) people have been saying and showing what’s happening all along.
Their examples are instructive as we gear up for the struggles ahead.
reshared this
This is free to read, in an online journal that’s very intentionally all open access.
The topic is a bit unusual for me--it's very recent history or what might be described as contemporary history. I thought it was important to do, to synthesize the news articles that have started to write this history in one place. My hope is this will make this subject matter more teachable in college courses looking at how people often try to resist & reorient tech hegemonies that promise “progress for all.”
Something I think about sometimes is that Microsoft is roughly the same degree of evil they were when the Google guys and everyone else was sneering at "M$" in the Y2K era, and now they're actually one of the least evil major tech companies.
That's how far the window has moved.
"Sure, yeah, they're evil, but they're not Facebook or Google! or Amazon!"
Men confess to brutal murder in France after over 20 years on the run, living under false identities
Two men admitted on Monday to the brutal 2003 murder of a Frenchman when they appeared in court after more than two decades on the run.BYTESEU (Bytes Europe)
![Palestinians set up tents among the rubble of their houses as they return to Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip, on Tuesday [Omar Al-Qattaa/AFP]](https://social.trom.tf/photo/preview/640/20755619 "Palestinians set up tents among the rubble of their houses as they return to Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip, on Tuesday [Omar Al-Qattaa/AFP]")
Reverend at inaugural prayer service implores Trump to 'have mercy' on LGBTQ people and migrants (Associated Press)
apnews.com/video/reverend-at-i…
memeorandum.com/250121/p125#a2…
Reverend at inaugural prayer service implores Trump to ‘have mercy’ on LGBTQ people and migrants
The Episcopal bishop of Washington used the inaugural prayer service at the Washington National Cathedral Tuesday to directly address President Donald Trump, urging him to "have mercy" and compassion for LGBTQ people and undocumented migrant workers.AP News
68 #rats were just surrendered at Guilford County Animal Shelter in central #NorthCarolina. If you're in that neighborhood or know someone who is, please consider passing word along! Rats are awesome companion critters. You could adopt some.
More info:
reddit.com/r/RATS/comments/1i6…
Blort™ 🐀Ⓥ🥋☣️ reshared this.
@deedend
Hell yes seriously to #PetRats! They're warm, fluffy, snuggling, intelligent, playful, goofy, fun-loving and caring.
Mine show more care for me after a hard day, than any of my work colleagues.
#Rats from a good breeder are nothing like what you see in movies/TV shows. After having owned 23 of them over many years NOT ONCE has a single one EVER hissed or bitten. Ever.
I can't say the same for humans.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some fluffy friends to snuggle. 🐀 ❤️
Germany to Upgrade Electronic Warfare Center to Counter Rising Threats
Germany has selected European defense firms Airbus and HENSOLDT to modernize its electronic warfare (EW) center for airborne weapon systems in response to escalating regional threats.BYTESEU (Bytes Europe)
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Roland Häder likes this.
Italy Alpine Skiing World Cup | Sports
State AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew Me…BYTESEU (Bytes Europe)
Price of butane gas cylinder continues to rise in Spain: this is what it will cost as of today
Tuesday, 21 January 2025, 13:38 The maximum retail price of a standard cylinder of butane gas in Spain will rise by 0.18% and cost 16.BYTESEU (Bytes Europe)
The best people…
Hegseth Ex-Sister-in-Law Tells Senators He Was ‘Abusive’ to Second Wife nytimes.com/2025/01/21/us/poli…
#PeteHegseth #Trumpkakistocracy #GOPIdiot #FoxNews #NoRepublicansEverAgain #TrumpDidThis #USPol
Hegseth Ex-Sister-in-Law Tells Senators He Was ‘Abusive’ to Second Wife
A woman once married to the brother of Pete Hegseth, the defense secretary nominee, submitted a sworn statement to the Senate in a late-hour complication to his confirmation. His attorney denied her account.Karoun Demirjian (The New York Times)
Is Ryan Gosling heading to the Star Wars universe? @THR says the Canadian actor is in negotiations to headline a feature directed by "Deadpool & Wolverine" director Shawn Levy. Here's more on the as-yet-unconfirmed rumor, which Lucasfilm has not commented on. What do you think of this combination?
#Film #Cinema #Movies #StarWars #Lucasfilm #RyanGosling #ShawnLevy
Star Wars: Ryan Gosling to Star in Shawn Levy's Movie
If the deal makes, this would send the project into hyperdrive after two years of development and make it the next 'Star Wars' movie to go into production.Borys Kit (The Hollywood Reporter)
- I'm into it (19%, 4 votes)
- Need to know more details first (19%, 4 votes)
- No thank you (57%, 12 votes)
- Something else — explain in the comments (4%, 1 vote)
"This week, we watched as the world's richest man appeared to give a Nazi salute at Trump's post-inauguration rally. Twice. Then we watched as mainstream media outlets bent over backwards to avoid saying what we all saw," writes Parker Molloy for her newsletter, The Present Age.
She explains why, as neo-Nazis and white nationalists applauded the gesture, mainstream outlets have been muted. "The answer lies in our broken defamation laws and the way wealthy individuals can weaponize them against critics. This is a legitimate free speech crisis."
#Media #Journalism #FreeSpeech #News #Law #Defamation #ElonMusk #NeoNazis
News Organizations Are Tiptoeing Around What We All Saw
How fear of litigation shapes coverage of influential figuresParker Molloy (The Present Age)
Trump will be a completely unaccountable president, then, for this very simple reason: The only three power systems capable of holding him to account—the right-wing media, Republicans in Congress, and the Supreme Court—have no interest in doing so.
We’ve Never Been Here Before: The Zero-Accountability Presidency
The only institutions that will try to hold Trump accountable are powerless, while the only ones with the power to punish him will never do it.The New Republic
Meta under fire for making users automatically follow Trump & Vance on Facebook, blocks #Democrat & #DNC on Instagram
techissuestoday.com/meta-auto-…
If you are using these services, please consider leaving and suggesting to loved ones to do the same.
Keep in mind, no matter if you leave and request data deletion. Meta will not honor that request, as they'll offshore your data to parts unknown and you'll live on as a ghost account. Similar practices that MS and LinkedIn does.
Meta under fire for auto-following Trump & Vance, Blocking Democrat hashtags
Users are outraged as Meta automatically made them follow Trump and Vance on Facebook and blocked #Democrat hashtags on Instagram.Dwayne Cubbins (TechIssuesToday.com)
Zelensky Meets Lithuanian Seimas Delegation to Strengthen Ties and Support
President Volodymyr Zelensky held a meeting with a delegation from the Lithuanian Seimas led by Speaker Saulius Skvernelis, who visited Ukraine for the first time since his election to the position.BYTESEU (Bytes Europe)
Ray Jepson
in reply to Matt Blaze • • •