• SCOTUS nixes injunction that limited Biden admin contacts with social networks [Ars Technica ]

    cool… that’s… oh…

    just ahead of SCOTUS plans / wishes for a 2nd Trump “administration”

  • A refreshingly nuanced look at "AI"

    John Siracusa (famed of exacting investigation and insight) has some excellent ideas - and questions - about “Generative AI”. Which we’re now awash in, whether we know it or not: I Made This.

    My own, entirely separate, opinion:

    There is no AI that exists right now; “Generative AI” is a (marketing) label, for systems created on the backs of people, while giving them no credit - and certainly none of the revenue. Calling it “AI” is - at best - a stretch. And it’s the latest twist (of the blade) in the “gig economy”.

  • In the story about VT’s US Rep Becca Balint and contributions by crypto-jerk SBF, theVPO has it right: thevpo.org/2023/10/2…
    Sadly, coverage by both VTDigger & SevenDays is uncharacteristically sensationalist - a glaring and concerning shift. What’s up there?

  • $14 / month - and you better believe you’re still the product 🤮
    arstechnica.com/tech-poli…

  • it’s increasingly easy, to feel like the formerly reasonable expectations, of working hard, are now less and less likely to happen, as we descend further into dog-eat-dog.
    so, the choice is between: a) get increasingly resentful; b) temper expectations - while continuing to fix this broken system

  • with piles of books across the place (and devices) I noticed that, depending which pile I find myself at, I’m reading both “The Midnight Kingdom” by Jared Yates Sexton [@JYSexton], and “How to Be an Antiracist”, by Ibram X. Kendi [@ibramxk] - concurrently.
    and, each being seriously grounded in important - and suppressed - history, I find that they’re almost meant to be read together.
    much learning - and much needed.
    which reminds me, that I’ve also been meaning to read Howard Zinn’s “A People’s History of the United States”.

    www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/673…
    books.apple.com/us/book/h…
    www.howardzinn.org/collectio…

  • Keef, with a great way to look at our obligation to actively make a better world: www.dailykos.com/stories/2…

  • vtdigger.org/2023/04/2…

    these are distractions

    - interim president Mike Smith – confirming he’s all in, on continuing to gut VSU, as soon as the outrage dies down

  • as usual: doing the right thing is - if moral reasons aren’t enough for you - also the less expensive choice: thevpo.org/2023/04/1…

  • another sign that several justices on the US Supreme Court are partisan hacks: this is nothing but a trial balloon, to see if the majority of the US that’s uninfected with MAGA, keeps paying attention to these increasing abuses by “conservatives”: arstechnica.com

  • wow; the Murad situation just looks worse and worse - and why indeed, is it so very important, for some of us, to keep pushing him as police chief?! thevpo.org/2023/04/1…

  • it’s just weird, how there are so many signs, urging people to vote against police oversight measures, in rich neighborhoods… (looking at you in particular, BTV)

  • ugh; a disappointing hatchett job - more so, since there are important questions to discuss. too bad the author seems to see nothing past their foregone conclusions. vtdigger.org/2023/01/0…

  • the OPMI survey is well worth a few minutes of your time - it might help you understand a bit about yourself – and others drj.virtualave.net/OMPI/

  • Here’s to all of us, who’ve been fighting for truth, justice, peace, … for so very, very long now: music.apple.com/us/album/…

  • if you’re able, I hope you’ll join me in supporting the amazing Violet Blue and her book: www.kickstarter.com/projects/…

  • Alcaraz, on Lindsey Graham - insightful as ever: www.dailykos.com/stories/2…

  • the magic of the US dollar, is precisely this:
    it has value, because enough people believe it does.

    the flipside: that belief is by no means certain to continue indefinitely

  • it’s weird… people on the “right” are constantly whining about how illegitimate X is - based on utter bullshit.   and people of goodwill continually hamstring themselves, adhering to “norms” - while enduring truly illegitimate abuses.   such as this batshit insane Supreme Court. which only has the power we invest them with.   so… until it’s legitimate again, it’s time to stop investing in it.

  • “Russian missiles strike Kyiv, shattering sense of calm”
    Bullshit - the only sense of calm, was for people with their heads in the sand, hoping that appeasement would spare any cost to them. Which - and we have overwhelming evidence - simply makes things worse.
    There is one way - only - to stop Putin. And that is to - wait for it - stop Putin.
    There’s no way out by dialog only - the rest of the world must step up, and take direct ACTION. www.rutlandherald.com/news/busi…

  • did we really need more evidence that Elon is a terrible human being? really?? “demanding workers show up for at least 40 hours a week in the office or find another employer”
    www.ft.com/content/f…

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