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.

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.

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.

The long game: Breaking up Big Tech is a long-run project.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: ARRRRR!; Watching paint dry; CEOs are tall, lucky, men; Harpercollins demands authors' AI rights; Victorian bumwipe; Ted Koppel's stupid book; Alan Moore to unpublished authors; Anne Frank's US visa application was rejected; Google breakup.
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.

Defense (of the internet) (from billionaires) in depth: "Nonprofits" can and do enshittify.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: 2005, 2010, 2015, 2020, 20241
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.

An open copyright casebook, featuring AI, Warhol and more: Up-to-date, erudite, and free!
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
This day in history: 2004, 2009, 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.

Big Tech disrupted disruption: We don't have to care, we're the phone company.
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