Pluralistic: Better to beg forgiveness (31 Jul 2026)

Today's links

Better to beg forgiveness: Don't ring the doorbell at the house of no unless you absolutely must.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: RIP Poul Anderson; P2P at PC Forum; Waitress handed her own stolen ID by carded diner; PDX bans fixies; Digital Economy Bill was a stitch up; NZ copyright disconnection flowchart; Fry v Widdicombe on Catholic Church; Moxie Marlinspike profile; V&A bans sketching; Gernsback's intro to the first Amazing Stories; "Simplicity."
Upcoming appearances: Edinburgh, Sydney, Melbourne, Brighton, London, South Bend.
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 (other) problem with automatic conversion of free software to proprietary software: You can't add ANY license to a public domain work.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: Pimp My Snack; Abandoned Soviet missile silo full of cash; MPAA v 'democratizing culture'; 3,000 page garbage Kindle books; London's lost postal tunnels; Internet voting is stupid; Congress lobotomized itself; GWB v 'truth in politics'; Trump's FTC x tariff profiteering.
Upcoming appearances: San Francisco, London, Berlin, NYC, Barcelona, Hay-on-Wye, London, NYC.
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 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.

Supreme Court saves artists from AI: Just because you're on their side, it doesn't mean they're on your side.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: KKK x D&D; Martian creativity; Scott Walker's capital ringers; UK v adblocking; Shitty jihadi opsec.
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.

End of the line for video essays: America's worst copyright law keeps getting even worse.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: Payphone phaseout; Nvidia sock-puppets; Love picking; Fake locksmiths.
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.

Happy Public Domain Day 2026! The best way to cut through the hellishly complex thicket and bring our culture back to life.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: Weird D&D advice; Email sabbaticals.
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.

Raymond Biesinger's "9 Times My Work Has Been Ripped Off": A self-defense guide for creative workers.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: Gingerbread Phantom Manor; Orwell estate censors 1984; The Abbadon; Ferris wheel fine dining.
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.

Happy Public Domain Day 2025 to all who celebrate: A new bumper crop, with many more to come!
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
This day in history: 2004, 2009, 2014, 2019
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.