Unconditional cash transfers reduce homelessness
It turns out that if you give homeless people money as assistance, it really helps them. This is something society should do. #Society [Link]
Ben Werdmuller
Ben Werdmuller helps leaders at newsrooms, non-profits, and mission-driven organizations to navigate their biggest technology challenges.
Just a moment...
In turns reassuring and helpful, this was a great primer on what to do to provide a foundation to help my child eventually learn to read. If only all parenting books could be as human and equity-minded as this one is. #Nonfiction [Link]
Supreme Risk: An Interactive Guide to Rights the Supreme Court Could Take Away
"An interactive guide to rights the Supreme Court has established — and could take away." Published a few months ago, but completely relevant, on-point reporting (served as a fully-static web page). #Democracy [Link]
In Europe, a regulatory vise tightens around big tech
Good overview. I think European tech regulations have been broadly good, establishing the anti-competitive and pro-privacy rules that US legislators have failed to enact. If we could only all be so protected. #Technology [Link]
If we define it as technology-assisted one-to-many ...
If we define it as technology-assisted one-to-many bi-directional communication (therefore ruling out the telephone, letters, and so on), I think there's an argument to be made that it was the newspaper. In the old days, particularly pre-television, local papers in particular would have
Is Big Oil Turning on Big Auto?
It makes sense that oil companies would try to frame driving a gas car as freedom. As an EV driver, I can tell you that it is not. I would prefer if we all had great, integrated public transit - but for the moment, at least, it has been an improvement
Noah
We lost my beloved cousin Noah this week. I don’t have the words yet. But Noah, you were wonderful, and we all loved you so much. Ma used to say that she liked to think of everyone who was gone having a picnic on the beach and looking down
Educational Sensational Inspirational Foundational
A really great list of foundational and/or influential writing about how to build the web, starting with Tim Berners-Lee's Cool URIs Don't Change post from 1998. #Technology [Link]
Police departments pull school officers due to Minnesota restraint law
It says a lot that in areas where officers aren’t allowed to put schoolchildren in holds that restrict breathing or their ability to speak, departments take officers out of schools in protest. These laws should be in place everywhere, and police officers should not be in schools. #Society [Link]
US Copyright Office wants to hear what people think about AI and copyright
I certainly have some thoughts that I will share. Imagine if you could allow an AI agent to create copyrighted works at scale with no human involvement. It would allow for an incredible intellectual property land grab. #AI [Link]
The Online Journalism Awards and why non-profit news is awesome
I was pleased to attend the Online Journalism Awards on Saturday night. Some winning highlights included: The 19th won a Breaking News award for its coverage of the Dobbs decision, including some really great data journalism. I’m proud of, and very happy for, my friends there. By the way,
The true cost of climate pollution? 44% of corporate profits.
I’m surprised that mandatory disclosure of carbon emissions isn’t widespread - it does seem like the prerequisite to making any change. And yeah, these companies should pay. And be forced to reduce their emissions. And be fined heavily, and prosecuted, when they don’t. #Climate [Link]