Pluralistic: Trump and the unmighty dollar (26 Jan 2026)

Today's links

Trump and the unmighty dollar: "Flipping the table over in a poker game rigged in your favor because you resent having to pretend to play the game at all."
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: H2G2 v BBC; Anti-capitalist bank rave; Narrative and magic; It's still censorship; Boss politics antitrust; Game library; Gamers 6-65; Google Cache; "Probiotics" aren't; "Starve"; Uptown Funk mashup; Not a crime if we do it with an app; Gibson on Stuxnet; Gates sells Tank Man pic to China; Paul Allen's yacht destroys a reef; Mass surveillance in Anaheim.
Upcoming appearances: Where to find me.
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.

The petty (but undeniable) delights of cultivating ungovernability as a habit: Get good at being on hold.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: "Ventus"; Woody Guthrie v Trump's dad; Tory MP v poppers.
Upcoming appearances: Where to find me.
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.

Google's AI pricing plan: From each according to their ability (to pay).
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: Disney buys Pixar; Bruces on "vernacular video"; Hickey paralysis; RIP David Hartwell; Personalized pricing; They were warned.
Upcoming appearances: Where to find me.
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.

AI is how bosses wage war on "professions": The only people *required* to tell their bosses to fuck off.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: Enshittification v VC; Byrne v DRM; Forger does it for the exposure; Beach trash hotel; Mafia nicknames; Longbow puzzle; NIMBYs; No one should be on the No-Fly list.
Upcoming appearances: Where to find me.
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.

Social media without socializing: For Zuck, your friends are a problem to be solved.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: "Among Others"; Vagina tea-balls; MLK was a socialist; Planet Money's free Gatsby audiobook; Bounty for wiretapping lefty profs; Poe's graveside ritual; Sleep Mafia; Whence came tarps; GM's Dieslgate; NRO's octopus; Amazon solidarity; Billionaire-proofing the internet.
Upcoming appearances: Where to find me.
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.

The world needs an Ireland for disenshittification: Regulatory arbitrage isn't just for tax cheats.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: "Fledgling"; Magnetic forest rings; Electable Mr Sanders; "Terrorists" were just blind guys.
Upcoming appearances: Where to find me.
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.

Catch this! Email is good, actually.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: LDS excommunication; King Foundation v "I Have a Dream"; "Lat-stage capitalism" v "Christ, what an asshole"; Pelosi v Porter.
Upcoming appearances: Where to find me.
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.

How the Light Gets In: The door is open a crack!
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: Poitras v First Look; Aaronsw's "Against School"; I was investigated by the FBI.
Upcoming appearances: Where to find me.
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.

It's not normal: Remember when you owned stuff?
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: Telco rats out protesters; Rogers v Net Neutrality; Jailhouse lawyer v Stingrays; Black Panther self-care.
Upcoming appearances: Where to find me.
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.

Sorry, eh: I sincerely regret that all my ideas will not lose billions of dollars, destroy jobs or make your country more dependent on American tech.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: 20 years a blogger; Woz on Network Neutrality; Moveon endorses Bernie.
Upcoming appearances: Where to find me.
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.