ben.werd.social.ap.brid.gy - Profile | ThreadSky | a Reddit-style client for Bluesky

Guys, it's not a gotcha that DOGE isn't saving much money or finding any fraud. That's what they say it's for; it's not what it's actually for.

submitted 6 hours ago • 1 comment

This story doesn't feel like it's going to end up life-affirming, but bear with it. #Democracy https://werd.io/2025/what-felt-impossible-became-possible

submitted 18 hours ago • 0 comments

The length of time since I last visited Edinburgh is now roughly equal to the total time I lived there. I originally intended to go back twice a year. Life happened. So weird.

submitted 22 hours ago • 1 comment

"We now have the bizarre situation that anyone with any sense can see that America is no longer a reliable partner, and that the entire US business world bows to Trump’s dictatorial will, but we STILL are doing everything we can to transfer entire governments and most of our own businesses to […]

submitted 22 hours ago • 0 comments

On the AfD's second-place result today: https://werd.io/2025/afd

submitted 23 hours ago • 1 comment

It's not that extensive data collection, compromised privacy, new datacenter builds, and challenges to copyright protections are needed to enable AI. AI is needed to justify extensive data collection, compromised privacy, new datacenter builds, and challenges to copyright protections.

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments

A note about empires https://werd.io/2025/empires

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments

Who’s writing the best political protest music in this moment?

submitted 2 days ago • 4 comments

My mother's life was prolonged by an organ donor. It's such an important process that touches so many people. Yet the current government is firing people who aim to make it more efficient so it can save more lives. https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-federal-workers-public-health-hhs

submitted 2 days ago • 1 comment

This is a good idea: a wiki for trans people who want to leave the US for another country. https://transworldexpress.org/wiki/Main_Page

submitted 2 days ago • 0 comments

When Texas banned abortion, "rate of sepsis shot up more than 50% for women hospitalized when they lost their pregnancies in the second trimester." #Democracy https://werd.io/2025/texas-banned-abortion-then-sepsis-rates-soared

submitted 2 days ago • 0 comments

I felt very privileged to be interviewed for this week's People and Blogs: https://manuelmoreale.com/pb-ben-werdmuller

submitted 3 days ago • 0 comments

I feel worse than I have in years. I don't know if it's from the fire or a coincidence, but this is nasty. Tea and bed.

submitted 4 days ago • 1 comment

Sure, having to evacuate my home because of a chemical fire that may include benzene, vinyl chloride, and cyanide. Why not? Thanks, 2025

submitted 5 days ago • 3 comments

"Writing a blog on your own site is a way to escape the platforms]. Plus your words build up over time. That’s unique. Nobody else values your words like you do." Matt Webb on 25 years of blogging: #Indieweb [https://werd.io/2025/reflections-on-25-years-of-interconnected

submitted 5 days ago • 1 comment

“Media has increasingly centered on a class audience rather than a mass audience.” I couldn't agree more strongly with every word of this call for a working-class American media: #Media https://werd.io/2025/america-needs-a-working-classmedia

submitted 5 days ago • 1 comment

Did you know: in prep for 45's admin, Project 2025 trained people, now in almost every federal agency's leadership, how to not take notes or write things down so they wouldn't be subject to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests or subpoenas? Well, now you know they were trained in how to […]

submitted 5 days ago • 0 comments

I listen to audiobooks while I work out at the gym or on my rowing machine at home. And I'm between books. What's something you've enjoyed listening to lately? I prefer fiction to non-fiction.

submitted 5 days ago • 4 comments

"With that user growth, mostly from liberals disgusted with Musk’s nonstop promotion of conservative disinformation, came criticism that people were merely seeking out an ideological “echo chamber” to reinforce their views." It's nonsense. #Technology […]

submitted 6 days ago • 0 comments

"Now, more than ever, it’s critical to own your data. Really own it. Like, on your hard drive and hosted on your website. Ideally on your own server, but one step at a time." #Indieweb https://werd.io/2025/own-whats-yours

submitted 6 days ago • 1 comment

In my inaugural Ask a CTO column, I tackle two big questions: How do you balance security and productivity? And how do you decide when to adopt new technology trends? Read it here: https://werd.io/2025/ask-a-cto-security-vs-productivity-when-to-adopt-technology I'd love to read your thoughts!

submitted 6 days ago • 0 comments

Just saw this. It's brilliant. Highly relevant to now but also a history that needs to be better understood in itself. Deserves its Oscar nomination; please seek it out […]

submitted 6 days ago • 1 comment

I will say this: that an airplane could crash and land upside down and everyone could walk away and be accounted for says a lot about the actual safety of air travel. Definitely better to land the correct way up - but most important to be able to walk away.

submitted 7 days ago • 3 comments

I'm planning on going back to the UK for a visit this year. Beginning to think ocean liner might be a safer option.

submitted 7 days ago • 1 comment

My 81 year old father has committed to wearing a Progress Flag wherever he goes. It's a small gesture, but he wants to show his support.

submitted 7 days ago • 1 comment

In my inaugural Ask a CTO column I ask questions about security vs productivity, and when to adopt new technology trends: https://werd.io/2025/ask-a-cto-security-vs-productivity-when-to-adopt-technology

submitted 7 days ago • 0 comments

"Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, is currently banning links to “Signal.me,” a URL used by the encrypted messaging service Signal." #Technology https://werd.io/2025/elon-musks-x-blocks-links-to-signal-the-encrypted-messaging

submitted 7 days ago • 1 comment

Boy, sending a newsletter email about helping trans people turns out to be an efficient way to lose subscribers. Luckily, I absolutely do not want those subscribers.

submitted 7 days ago • 2 comments

"We want to share our thinking process in implementing Quote Posts in Mastodon, and explain why it has taken us some time to do so." This is thoughtful and smart (and I appreciate the transparency). #Fediverse https://werd.io/2025/bringing-quote-posts-to-mastodon

submitted 7 days ago • 0 comments

Last April I wrote a detailed piece explaining what I think is important and what I hope we can fight for. It's more relevant today than when I wrote it. https://werd.io/2024/where-im-coming-from

submitted 8 days ago • 0 comments

"Unfortunately for American tech workers, the layoff train isn't slowing down." It used to be easy to find a job in tech. Not anymore: #Technology https://werd.io/2025/silicon-valley-software-engineers-horrified-as-they-cant-easily-find

submitted 8 days ago • 0 comments

Life in Weeks is a cool idea, but here's why I'm not going to share mine with you. https://werd.io/2025/life-in-weeks

submitted 8 days ago • 2 comments

Last month I asked to hear from employers in trans-friendly countries who actively sponsor visas. Here's an update. https://werd.io/2025/an-update-on-searching-for-trans-friendly-employers-who-sponsor-visas

submitted 8 days ago • 0 comments

"The Nexus of Privacy is planning a series of online discussions and video/phone calls focusing on organizing on decentralized social networks." There's a form to express interest; this is good stuff. #Fediverse https://werd.io/2025/organizing-on-decentralized-social-networks

submitted 8 days ago • 1 comment

Almost every meaningful free software and encrypted tool is European-based or heavily leverages European developers. I think that's probably because there's a strong grant ecosystem there, as well as a stronger social safety net for people who want to earn less to do more. I wish we had that here.

submitted 8 days ago • 0 comments

"Being “in tech” in 2025 is depressing, and if I’m going to stick around, I need to remember why I’m here." Every word of this resonated for me. #Technology https://werd.io/2025/tech-continues-to-be-political

submitted 8 days ago • 1 comment

Whether something is popular is orthogonal to whether it is right.

submitted 10 days ago • 0 comments

I reached a personal milestone this week: https://werd.io/2025/a-streak-at-last

submitted 11 days ago • 1 comment

"So, here’s where the marshmallow test gets it wrong: it’s not just about the kid’s ability to wait; it’s about the adult’s ability to create an environment worth waiting in." #Parenting https://werd.io/2025/marshmallow-test-and-parenting

submitted 11 days ago • 1 comment