Notices by EVHaste (haste@mastodon.social)

And I mean, is that really want you want? Or is it just what you’re used to?

It’s been a weird couple days; I keep running into this talking point that “journalists won’t use Mastodon unless we incentivize engagement farming”.

Meanwhile I’m having a *great* experience here, because I use it to— I dunno— actually talk to people and form relationships?

I reject the premise that mastodon isn’t useful for reporters. I think it’s more accurate that modern news orgs use social media in purely extractive ways.

You might get more reporters that way, but you won’t like them.

I think if we’re honest with ourselves, the “service” most reporters provide on social media is entirely self-serving. A one-way firehose of signal boosting and self promotion.

“Look at me! I wrote this story. Click on it!”
And then you ask them a question, or have a correction, and nobody reads it, because Wired doesn’t care about building a community, just reaching a consumer. It’s fire and forget.

We already have a tool for that, it’s RSS. What value does reposting a link here provide?

Second is a stunning hand-made drag ensemble by Patty Trauma. Red white and blue, Trump-evoking makeup, and a cake— of the “let them eat” variety— shaped to resemble a machine, probably an old timey voting machine. It had a strip of “I voted” stickers coming out of it.

No photos for Fedi yet because I haven’t been able to do my usual consent/redaction cleanup, but you bet I did get some.

Highlights so far; whenever I ask anyone what the most impressive art they’ve seen is, they all unanimously point me to one of two places.

The first is a group of that has made a Statue of Liberty costume, which is standing at least twice the highest of the folks wielding it. Eavesdropping on the crowd, I can already hear that folks are using them as a meeting landmark. lol!

Howdy fam! You know the drill.

I’m at #NoKings in #Seattle today. I’m hoping to do another piece on protest art; and I’ll say, so far I have not been disappointed!

If you see me, don’t be afraid to say hi. I don’t bite (usually)

If I have any live observations (and I already have a few), I’ll thread them here. Heads up to flex that mute button for a few hours it if it’s not your jam!

There have also been some program changes that I didn’t expect. With the exception of AG Nick Brown, who helped open ceremonies at Cal Anderson, I’m told there are no elected official speakers.

According to the Indivisible media folks, this was a “deliberate choice”, although they didn’t elaborate on the criteria.

If I had to wildly speculate (which I don’t, but I will) I imagine that last years invitees suddenly pivoting into campaign speeches probably influenced this.

So, a welcome change.

Here’s an interesting logistical change from last year; today’s main event, which will be held after the march at Seattle Center, is focused on connecting attendees on a per-neighborhood basis to each other.

I think this is a great idea, at least in theory, which seems pointed at the usual “protesting is performative” cynicism.

I’m on my way ahead now to see how that’s going to work.

I usually walk with the marches I’m covering, but for health reasons I can’t this time. So I’ve just arrived at Seattle Center and expect signal to degrade as folks gather.

I’ll try to keep you posted. :D

Across the way it does look like there’s a concert in progress. Folks around me are covered in colorful dusts and paints.

I had to double check my calendar to make sure it wasn’t Holi.

I’m so tempted to walk through and get spattered but I feel like that might make interviews more difficult later. lol

There’s a lovely xylophone band on the ground level.

They’ve gotten a couple of hecklers since I’ve been standing here, unfortunately. They dealt with it as gracefully as could be done. One guy, wearing camo, could be heard yelling “you forget where you come from. Where do YOU come from” as he left.

If you see the band, share some love, okay?

(Photo omitted since they’re getting hassled already)

The photo that I forgot to attach. Lol. Scatterbrained

Some pre-gathering photos should be appropriate. So here’s what they apparently mean by the neighborhood sorting. In the distance you can see signs for North Shoreline, East Side, etc.

What caught my eye is the construction. The orange block lettering, suspended on netting, is the style of a specific local organizer: The Backbone Campaign.

If you read my coverage of Hands Off last year, you might recognize them as the massive “declaration of independence” folks.

https://evhaste.com/2025/04/22/the-antifascist-art-of-handsoff-seattle/

A little ways away, there is some live performance art. A band of jesters are escorting “his royal heinous” Donald Trump, and making loud noises to distract onlookers from a clown who keeps dropping the Epstein files.

I can confirm I am the first human for Central. Cap Hill represent! 🏳️🌈

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the hollowing-out of software. Specifically, how do I protect myself from a formerly useful program auto-updating with vibe-coded (and potentially compromised) AI-slop?

More and more development teams are getting axed. Their corpses are getting stuffed with cheap, rotten code that is at best unfit for purpose, and at worst actively dangerous.

I can’t possibly track of it all. It seems a matter of time before something bites me.

@occult can confirm this is how I use technology already, get on my level 2026

@Ysabeau @occult oh that’s the thing, she’s actually casting a spell using computer magic

I mainly do it to hex Republicans, and to compel the release of the Epstein files.

As age-verification bullshit becomes more common, I am determined to simply not participate in any service or video game that requires it. The day I see the prompt, is the day I leave.

Maybe the government’s hope is that I stop participating in society, but I assure you that I will not. I’ll find or build alternatives, and refuse to comply with bad law.

I hope you will, too.

And as a silver lining, maybe the weird internet we end up creating as a result will suck less than the current one.

@Gargron maybe if you put adhesive on the back of the leaflets and just called them stickers