Sigh. Tough post. #Fedihired

So I found that #DOGE is currently in the org I work at. Ive confirmed from 2 colleagues. They're going after contractors first, since we have mostly no protections.

I've been looking since Nov 6, but now things are getting down to the wire.

I'm a senior cloud systems engineer. Current is administering/developing #ArcGIS #GIS . Previously was systems engineer with greenfielding and putting together multiple ATO's. Before that, was systems engineer at a NOC.

I highly prefer #remote but can travel 60 miles around #bloomingtonIN

@steve_zeke @pluralistic

Unfortunately, in a capitalist society, it's easy to sell your ethics away so that YOU and your family have: housing, food, water, electricity, medical, internet, basic communications tech.

And if those ethics you sell are devising plans to save money by harming completely random unknown people via generalistic policies that kill them, well, yeah. They're faceless numbers.

It's like that meme where there's a button. If you press it, you get $1M . But some random person dies. In our society, if you have access to that button, spamming the button gets you piles of money. And THOSE types spam it as hard as they can.

@prestontumber @pluralistic

It's crazy, but here's some things of recent note that I say the Democratic party is undemocratic:

1. Superdelagates (rich person votes)
2. 2015 Hillary Clinton vs Bernie Sanders debacle
3. Non-nomination of Harris for 2024

And this is a long form account from someone who turned anarchist after volunteering for the Nevada state Democratic party. https://post-goldfish.ghost.io/i-became-an-anarchist-while-working-for-the-nevada-state-democratic-party/

"Having a physical separation (of Democratic HQ professionals), by around a 15-minute drive, is a perfect metaphor for how the professional class of the Democratic Party sees themselves compared to the ordinary people of the field staff. We weren’t let in on any strategy discussions, we weren’t told any inside information (because they were certain we’d leak it), we weren’t even allowed to physically be around them."

@patrickcmiller @mav

It is, and its something I wouldn't expect to see in my lifetime.

However, I think that a limited version of this COULD be made into a law. Something like:

"The US Government must prioritize computational software and hardware procurement that has

1. Free and Libre software/hardware
2. Data import/Export
3. Published and completed APIs"

This could be sold as a significant cost-cutting measure across the whole US govt, prevent lockin on software, and make government more capable of handling cybersecurity and data.

@pluralistic

The Democrats' message these days is "uhhh we're not as terrible as Trump".

Biden endorsed and furthered Trump's original tariffs, extended Trump's previous EO's, and basically did a 'softer version of Trump'. The China hate still reigns, with Tiktok ban still happening any day now. Palestine is still an ongoing genocide, paid for by US weaponry.

And Harris shows up last minute and goes "lol nothing is different with me".

The leftists I know (myself included) look at the democratic party as elitist sycophants that will actively harm real positive change for the masses. Not only that, but "Democrats" are some of the most undemocratic in their organization and structure.

First-passed-the-post voting means we're basically stuck with them. Or, with Republicans winning, just the worse option.

Glad I don't have children. I wouldn't want to raise them in this world.

@patrickcmiller

Again, if you were stupid enough to buy electronics with a hard requirement of some random "other-peoples-servers" and the hope they would offer service indefinitely, well, I have a bridge to sell you.

This is nowhere near the first time, or the 100th time.

Verify your electronics can operate fully in offline disconnected mode. And then verify that they can operate in a local mode.

If groups like https://opensprinkler.com/ can do this, any larger well funded company can. Its instad they choose NOT to.

@ClipHead @pluralistic

Its not just that, though.

Say a company DOES do right, even through hardship. Like.... #RadioShack .

They collected untold amount of #PII from people with "name address phone#" even for simple battery purchases. Did they do anything with it? Only internally.

Well, that is until #bankruptcy court. Radio Shack defended keeping the PII private because thats how it was given to them, in trust.

The bankruptcy court INSTEAD said that PII was worth X million, and was to be sold. End of discussion.

If a court refuses to acknowledge privacy rights, and informed consent, and instead goes "well fuck that its works loads of money", well, yeahh. The whole enchilada is untrustworthy.

@evacide

Four Thieves Vinegar Collective is doing good works in "Harm Reduction for the Living", and "Right to Repair for your body".

https://fourthievesvinegar.org/