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weblogsky.com
Co-host, Plutopia News Network. Known via writing about and involvement with digital culture, activism, and technology. Buddhist adjacent.
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Network guru Chris Boyd served EFF-Austin as board member and treasurer for 20+ years until his passing on May 13. In his memory, please consider donating to support EFF-Austin and the Electronic Frontier Foundation: gofund.me/dcb51faa 💻🕊️ #EFF

A statistician and founder of the Human Rights Data Analysis Group (HRDAG), Patrick Ball joins the Plutopia podcast to discuss how rigorous data analysis can expose and challenge human rights abuses - even when official data is missing or manipulated. plutopia.io/patrick-ball...

Plutopia News Network Sci-Fi Saturday: In the slightly bonkers, very loud "Beyond Skyline," humans fight powerful brain-absorbing bio-mechanical alien invaders. youtu.be/M2w1HMGaqFM?...

If Trump is "draining the swamp," he's draining it into the community swimming pool...

Our really smart Texas legislators are banning THC, ensuring that all sales will be outside the law, untaxed and unregulated. It won't reduce the flow or consumption of THC, it's more of a gift to drug dealers who profit from illegal sales.

You should read _Love and Fear: Stories from a Hospice Patient_ by @renshinb.bsky.social - but you could also listen to it here on YouTube, read by Christina Wessling. www.youtube.com/live/Hm87zRa...

Is Trump chickening out? Or is he manipulating the market for gain?

Wow, interesting decision on her part: the didn't like the first insult, so let's level up with a second. Working on that perfect condescending tone.

Plutopia News Network Sci-Fi Saturday: "Murderbot," as he has named himself, is a cyborganic SecUnit (security robot) with an interior life and an attitude. He has a dry wit, and is both fond and skeptical of the humans he protects. youtu.be/vEioDeOiqEs?...

Bobby’s been hallucinating again

There are 7,591 words in the U.S. Constitution. Not one is "bible", "Jesus", "Judeo", "Christian" or "God". Separation of church and state guarantees ALL Americans the right to practice ANY religion. Or none. Which part of "religious freedom" is not as clear as a church bell?

‪On the campaign trail, hmm. I suppose that, while he was taking his chainsaw to the Federal government in the name of "efficiency," Elon Musk was still tripping balls... www.nytimes.com/2025/05/30/u...

Cybersecurity expert Jonathan Kamens discusses his dismissal from his role at the Department of Veterans Affairs by Elon Musk’s Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE), and his thoughts about goals and intentions of the DOGE. plutopia.io/jonathan-kam...

Are we becoming a fascist state? Or is fascism in the USA just a political fad of the moment? Are the fascists trying to remove government, or do they have a plan to replace it with... something else?

Plutopia News Network Sci-Fi Saturday: What causes the unbelievable to happen? Is this the "Beginning of the End"? In 1957, we thought radiation might create swarms of mutant grasshoppers - we made a film about it. Maybe the most schlocky of films triggered by fear of nukes. youtu.be/uqVL8blr-rw?...

Via @rusirius.bsky.social‬, on June 7th Cyberpunks, Mutants & Mondoids gather in San Francisco to "Come to the Gulf of Deliria," an all-night celebration of "The Smarter Kings of Deliria" album by R.U. Sirius & Phriendz, with featuring reality-hacking panels and talks. grayarea.org/event/come-t...

EFF's Cindy Cohn and EFF-Austin's Kevin Welch discuss with Plutopians the history and evolving mission of EFF in defending digital rights. plutopia.io/cindy-cohn-a...

The Plutopia podcast @plutopia.io talks to @eff.org EFF chair Cindy Cohn and EF Austin lead Kevin Welch: plutopia.io/cindy-cohn-a...

Plutopia News Network Sci-Fi Saturday: From the comic-book realm of science fiction, "Thunderbolts*" is the latest Marvel sci-fantasy film introducing a new band of heroes, or maybe anti-heroes, with special powers, chutzpah, and angst. Are we still having fun? youtu.be/-sAOWhvheK8?...

Apparently Elon Musk is building the Death Star in Memphis, Tennessee. No news yet of the rebellion.

Bizarre that Bruce Sterling's been suspended by Bluesky. Now I worry that none of us know the rules and any of us is liable to be dropped. Mastodon's looking very good right now...

Trump would call me a radical leftist lunatic, a political scientist would call me a boring centrist.

If you have no ethics, ethics seems stupid. www.nytimes.com/2025/05/12/u...

Busy as a bee...

At (just outside) Austin Art Garage, 2016. @austinartgarage.bsky.social

Missing Ed Ward (1948-2021).

Elon Musk is the guy that watches "Blade Runner" and identifies with Eldon Tyrell.

Listening to the new Little Feat album, "Strike Up the Band." They've still got it! Remarkably close to the sound of the original band. themerchcollective.com/products/str...

Plutopia News Network Sci-Fi Saturday: In "The Eternaut," a toxic snowfall blankets Buenos Aires, and survivors face threats from alien invaders... and from other humans. youtu.be/TqT4fDQQqCc?...

It creeps me out that ICE agents wear masks and hide their identities. Is that even legal?

A new Pope's been elected: www.nytimes.com/live/2025/05... (We don't know who, yet, but we're pretty sure it's not Donald Trump.)

The Golden Globes will now have a podcast category! I think @plutopia.io is an obvious candidate, no? www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/g...

"Europe Alone and in Shock on V-E Day" via the NY Times. Europe and America built a strong alliance to defeat fascism in the 20th century. Now America is embracing a similar form of fascism that was once defeated, and Europe is fearful. www.nytimes.com/2025/05/08/w...

Trump created the trade war imagining, as he does, that he's a strong businessman who knows how to make the best deals. History suggests that he's a weak businessman who courts bankruptcy and can't deal his way out of a paper bag. So it'll be interesting to see how this "trade war" goes.

Trump has just ended a scientific investigation into the dangers of satellite crowding and junk in orbit, as it was troublesome to Elon Musk, who's launched countless little satellites he doesn't want to be questioned about. There's a Muskean character in this technothriller & much about space junk.

Linda McMahon wrote Harvard a letter to which they responded by noting areas that are in need of corrections and then posted it on social media. Great job Harvard!👏👏👏

Yet another dysfunctional mind-control ray coming from Meta aka Facebook... pluralistic.net/2025/05/07/r... Meanwhile I'm happy to say that my brain's trained to filter out FB ads. You can train your brain, too! It's just management of attention.