Pluralistic: Austerity creates fascism (13 Apr 2026)

Today's links

Austerity creates fascism: We can't afford to not afford nice things.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: The Server of Amontillado; Flapper's Dictionary; Mastercard v rec.humor.funny; Philippines electoral data breach; A front page from the Trump presidency; Spike Lee x Bernie Sanders; France v password hashing; Algorithms as Central European folk-dances; Save Comcast; Lex Luthor v export controls; Zuckerberg in the dock.
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Colophon: All the rest.

Doctors' union may yet save the NHS from Palantir: There is power in the union.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: Premature internet activists; Privacy Without Monopoly; "Broad Band"; Yazidi supersoldiers; I was a Jeopardy! clue.
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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 to fix the UK housing crisis: Reconverting homes to human rights, rather than assets.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: Theme park privacy; 3 strikes dead in Eire; HK ghost posters; Hotel wifi sucks; Facebook pays no UK tax; Econ research replicability crisis; Herd immunity.
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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's encryption capitulation: They put the gun on the mantelpiece in Act One, they don't get to be surprised now.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: 2005, 2010, 2015, 2020
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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.

UK publishers suing Google for $17.4b over rigged ad markets: Because tech steals publishers' money, not their content.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
This day in history: 2004, 2009, 2014, 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.

Palantir's NHS-stealing Big Lie: And the everyday miracle of Trusted Research Environments.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
This day in history: 2004, 2009, 2014, 2019, 2023
Upcoming appearances: Where to find me.
Recent appearances: Podcasts, events and more.
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 kleptocrats and oligarchs hunt civil society groups to the ends of the Earth: The carrot is charitable giving, the stick is SLAPP suits and cyberweapons.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
This day in history: 2003, 2008, 2013, 2018, 2022
Colophon: Recent publications, upcoming/recent appearances, current writing projects, current reading

How Palantir will steal the NHS: Stealth privatisation was always the endgame for public-private-partnerships.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
This day in history: 2002, 2007, 2012, 2017, 2021
Colophon: Recent publications, upcoming/recent appearances, current writing projects, current reading