Pluralistic: Switzerland's Goldilocks fiber (07 Apr 2026)

Today's links

Switzerland's Goldilocks fiber: Public provision is a layered question.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: EU appoints henhouse fox (copyright); Emacs x Tron: Legacy; Spammer v dead man's AOL account; Scott Walker's pork fountain; "No toilets, try Amazon"; Iceland falls (x Panama Papers); Rooms in Milanese sewers; China bans Panama Papers; "Parent Hacks"; "The Nameless City"; Phishing the world's top breach expert.
Upcoming appearances: Toronto, Montreal, Toronto, San Francisco, London, Berlin, NYC, Hay-on-Wye, London.
Recent appearances: Where I've been.
Latest books: You keep readin' em, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Upcoming books: Like I said, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Colophon: All the rest.

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Pluralistic: Your boss wants to use surveillance data to cut your wages (06 Apr 2026)

Today's links

Your boss wants to use surveillance data to cut your wages: Tech rights are labor rights (again).
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: Arthur C Clarke v Buddhist monks (x DST); Bomb squad v life-size Mario power-ups; Panama Papers; Chinese antitrust; Consumerism v New Jim Crow; Absurd English spelling; Save Netflix! David Cameron's dad v Panama Papers; Trick photos with a giant coin; End-stage capitalism.
Upcoming appearances: Toronto, Montreal, Toronto, San Francisco, London, Berlin, NYC, Hay-on-Wye, London.
Recent appearances: Where I've been.
Latest books: You keep readin' em, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Upcoming books: Like I said, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Colophon: All the rest.

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Pluralistic: EU ready to cave to Trump on tech (04 Apr 2026)

Today's links

EU ready to cave to Trump on tech: Surrendermonkeys ahoy.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: "Among a Thousand Fireflies"; "fiscal" not "physical"; Ontario's pusher premiere can't distribute vaccines; You need your head examined (if you trust an AI therapist); Women tell Pence about their periods; Zombie economy and digital arm-breakers; The trouble with tariffs.
Upcoming appearances: Toronto, Montreal, Toronto, San Francisco, London, Berlin, NYC, Hay-on-Wye, London.
Recent appearances: Where I've been.
Latest books: You keep readin' em, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Upcoming books: Like I said, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Colophon: All the rest.

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Pluralistic: It's extremely good that Claude's source-code leaked (02 Apr 2026)

Today's links

It's extremely good that Claude's source-code leaked: Careful what you wish for.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: "Elephantmen"; Eve Online war bankrolled by casino; Phishers take Mattel for $3m; Sanders wins 6 primaries, CNN airs Jesus "documentary"; Cuba is a vaccine powerhouse; Embroidered Toast; Mass layoffs at ATT.
Upcoming appearances: Toronto, Montreal, Toronto, San Francisco, London, Berlin, NYC, Hay-on-Wye, London.
Recent appearances: Where I've been.
Latest books: You keep readin' em, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Upcoming books: Like I said, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Colophon: All the rest.

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Pluralistic: Trumpismo vs minilateralism (01 Apr 2026)

Today's links

Trumpismo vs minilateralism: The enemy gets a vote.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: My new sigfile is unstoppable; TBL on the future of the web (2006); Wonder Woman sweater pattern; Unpatchable drug cabinets; 50-building mural; DRM v (the next) Netflix.
Upcoming appearances: Toronto, Montreal, Toronto, San Francisco, London, Berlin, NYC, Hay-on-Wye, London.
Recent appearances: Where I've been.
Latest books: You keep readin' em, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Upcoming books: Like I said, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Colophon: All the rest.

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Pluralistic: State Dems must stop ICE from stealing the midterms (31 Mar 2026)

Today's links

State Dems must stop ICE from stealing the midterms: The literal least they can do.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: Power-strip bug; "Peaceful Baghdad" was actually Istanbul; Disney pirates Disney font; AMC v day-and-date; SF growth chart; Cuba’s meritocratic free med schools; Trump strategist v Trump; Monopoly so fragile.
Upcoming appearances: Montreal, London, Berlin, NYC, Hay-on-Wye, London.
Recent appearances: Where I've been.
Latest books: You keep readin' em, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Upcoming books: Like I said, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Colophon: All the rest.

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Pluralistic: Market participation is exhausting (30 Mar 2026)

Today's links

Market participation is exhausting: No one wants to be the sucker at the table.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: EMI DRM v Brazil; "The Information"; Genome patenter v copyright troll (let them fight); Green investing isn't; Trump loves Big Tech; Kleptones' "24 Hours"; Lasermonks; Ransomware hospital; News co-ops; AI "art" sucks; Swisscom wifi is $838/24h; Millennials don't exist; Why Microsoft's chatbot turned Nazi; NYC's best dumpster-dived food; RIP Diana Wynne Jones; What really happened at the student protests in Trafalgar Square; Church-owned insurer has secret pedo priest files; Names that break databases; Reality-based communities; Hugo for websites; Cop cabs; Fake pediatrician group; Bring Your Own Bigwheeel; "How To Talk About Videogames."
Upcoming appearances: Montreal, London, NYC, Berlin, Hay-on-Wye, London.
Recent appearances: Where I've been.
Latest books: You keep readin' em, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Upcoming books: Like I said, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Colophon: All the rest.

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Pluralistic: The cost of doing business (25 Mar 2026)

Today's links

The cost of doing business: "Market definition" is a denial-of-service attack on antitrust law.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: Union Pacific v model railroads; Warners v Potter fans; NYT's trademark trolling; Why Rebecca Black mashups suck; Jabba the peep; Grenfell costs v tenants.
Upcoming appearances: Berkeley, Montreal, London, Berlin, Hay-on-Wye.
Recent appearances: Where I've been.
Latest books: You keep readin' em, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Upcoming books: Like I said, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Colophon: All the rest.

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Pluralistic: Goodhart's Law vs "prediction markets" (24 Mar 2026)

Today's links

Goodhart's Law vs "prediction markets": Putting a gun to the metric's head.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: Apple v interop; Yahoo v the world; Rasputin v the Haunted Mansion; Opening chord from A Hard Day's Night; Mondrian Pong; "IP": Patent trolls v Apple.
Upcoming appearances: Berkeley, Montreal, London, Berlin, Hay-on-Wye.
Recent appearances: Where I've been.
Latest books: You keep readin' em, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Upcoming books: Like I said, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Colophon: All the rest.

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Pluralistic: Understaffing as a form of enshittification (23 Mar 2026)

Today's links

Understaffing as a form of enshittification: A way to shift value from workers, patients and shoppers to investors.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: Marvel v "superhero"; What's a photocopier?; "Up Against It"; "Medusa's Web"; AI can't do your job; Coping with plenty; "The Shakedown"; Chickenized reverse-centaurs; France v iTunes; Copyfight discipline; Mystery lobbyists; "Where the Axe is Buried"; Free/open microprocessor; Folk models of computer security; Bug-eyed steampunk mask; Academics embracing Wikipedia.
Upcoming appearances: Berkeley, Montreal, London, Berlin, Hay-on-Wye.
Recent appearances: Where I've been.
Latest books: You keep readin' em, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Upcoming books: Like I said, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Colophon: All the rest.

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