Pluralistic: In praise of vultures (06 May 2026)

Today's links

In praise of vultures: They screw you because they can.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: Linus v MSFT; Argentina v MSFT; Danny Hillis on theme parks v games; Smartfilter v Distributed Boing Boing; Rental laptops filled with spyware; Torture didn't help capture bin Laden; Massively parallel Apple //e; Stephen Harper v election law; John Deere v Iowa cartoonist; Qualia.
Upcoming appearances: Guelph, Barcelona, Berlin, Hay-on-Wye, London, NYC, Edinburgh.
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.

Apple faces criminal sanctions for defying App Store antitrust order: They lied to the judge, then covered it up, and now she's PISSED.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: 2005, 2010, 2015, 2020, 2024
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 airlines were patient zero in the junk-fee plague: "Convenience fees" that aren't convenient and "service fees" without any service.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
This day in history: 2004, 2009, 2019, 2023
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.

Amazon's financial shell game let it create an "impossible" monopoly: If you think the company's profits come from AWS, you've been suckered, too.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
This day in history: 2009, 2014, 2019
Colophon: Recent publications, upcoming/recent appearances, current writing projects, current reading

Apple to EU: "Go fuck yourself": The dictionary definition of malicious compliance.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
This day in history: 2004, 2009, 2014, 2019, 2023
Colophon: Recent publications, upcoming/recent appearances, current writing projects, current reading

Thankful for class consciousness: Eggs, Teslas, airlines, turkeys, and the roof over your head.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
This day in history: 2008, 2013, 2018
Colophon: Recent publications, upcoming/recent appearances, current writing projects, current reading

An interoperability rule for your money: The CFPB will force banks to make it easy for you to leave.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
This day in history: 2003, 2013, 2018, 2022
Colophon: Recent publications, upcoming/recent appearances, current writing projects, current reading

Fighting junk fees is "woke": Visa and Mastercard want you to pay credit card swipe fees to own the libs.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
This day in history: 2008, 2013, 2018, 2021
Colophon: Recent publications, upcoming/recent appearances, current writing projects, current reading