Ever so tentatively, I’m beginning to show my head at in-person events this year. I haven’t been to any kind of industry conference or regular event since at least 2019. The small matter of a global, deadly pandemic kept me away, but I’ve decided that I’ll
An interesting thought experiment: do we need Google, or does Google need us? At what point does the center of gravity change enough for us to consider it worthwhile to block Googlebot and come out better for having done so? Until recently this would have been unthinkable. #Technology [Link]
Climate change comes for package deliveries - not because of the flights, but because of the trucks. The back of Amazon trucks can reach 135 degrees, with no cooling system. These are the same drivers who have trouble stopping for water or bathroom breaks. #Climate [Link]
Worth considering the number of grifters who swore blind that the metaverse would be a thing. Of course it wasn’t a thing. It was a fever dream embraced by people who have clearly never watched anyone actually use technology: a corporate boondoggle at best. # [Link]
The only reason to make immigration more difficult, particularly for people who are seeking asylum from terrible conditions, is because you hate immigrants and want to hurt them. As it turns out, these stupid rules don't even do what they claim to. #Democracy [Link]
A lovely, personal reflection on (in my opinion) the best TV show ever made. #Culture [Link]
I respect Bruce Schneier a great deal, but I hate this proposal. For one thing, what about people outside the US whose data was used? On the internet, the public is global. Wherever the tools are used, the rights infringed by AI tools are everyone's, from everywhere. Paying
Cam Pegg writes: I’m re-reading Michael Porter’s seminal article, The Five Competitive Forces That Shape Strategy, and just had an OMFG-I-need-to-get-this-tattooed-on-my-forehead-so-that-everyone-I-talk-to-gets-the-message moment: A narrow focus on growth is one of the major causes of bad strategy decisions. The thing about growth is that it leads to bad strategy
It's not really mentioned in this article, but lead sheathing isn't just used in old phone cabling. It's in some modern cabling too, including underground and undersea cables used to provide internet. And the health risks are real. #Health [Link]
The key word, of course, is “declared”. #Democracy [Link]
To put it another way: Meta doesn't want to have to worry about throwing an election. Meta wants us to focus on "sports, music, fashion, beauty, entertainment." Newsrooms, be advised. #Media [Link]
The other day I posted a surprisingly glowing first impression of Meta’s new Threads app. This is the counterpart to that. The site is brands, man. All of it. It’s like the glossy fashion magazine of social networks. And I get it. I really do. This is going