Notices by scribe (scribe@mastodon.sdf.org), page 2

> new post: 'fragments 2026-06-24'

https://6days.exmosis.net/2026/06/24/fragments-2026-06-24/

Feeling a bit light headed and down in the mouth this week.

Yes, managed to get to both the hairdresser *and* the dentist.

@corbden Discovering taoism was a revelation: "Recognise good, and bad is born." We create the dichotomies ourselves - for many, many reasons of course. But we can also critique them, rearrange them, redefine them.

Always makes me laugh when people try to decide if animals are also "good" or "evil".

Lots of talk about age verification.

Fuck all about actually investing in future generations.

Want people to be better? Actually fucking believe in them and offer them something worthwhile for a change.

#angry

Appears to be a max of either 28 degress or 37 degrees here this week, depending on the forecaster. Bit of a difference, that.

@liaizon I was going to say that any alternative has to come with clear and refreshing values about *why*, as well as an actual easy UI etc etc. But honestly? I think the masses just want to go where the masses are. Same with TikTok, WhastApp, even X still. Societal defaults - small groups may emerge as alternatives, but it all comes down to mainstream network effects winning out.

@liaizon A fundamental part of this is understanding methods of the attention economy, and mainly the default view into content browsing. Network effects and vendor lock-in make it psychologically difficult to entertain another "homepage" that you fire up when you're bored - certainly not a novel one, and certainly not past the 3-4 apps you can only just keep up with already.

I'd stick a microfiction tag on this but we all know it's not.

2027.

The world is now too complicated for managers, or even for teams of managers. The only way to survive is breakfast alcohol, finger bandages, and videocall filters that hide the gritted teeth and the slow tears. Nothing is understood, but everything is on fire. The only laughter is consolatory at best, but mostly just sarcastic. Dreams are on repeat, twisting like seas storms.

Friday comes. Nobody celebrates.

Except for the cats.

Always the cats.

A merry solstice, one and all!

Less "what" and more "how" and "why" please.

This last week has included 1 site hack, 1 site migration, 1site release, and 1 reported site hack. Is everyone else this busy in June?

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/ai-migrant-border-age-technology-home-office-b2994568.html

"Scientific advisors to the Home Office ... felt the government is rushing to adopt the AI tech for political reasons and chose not to consult them to avoid criticism."

The question isn't really whether AI - like privatisation/nationalistion - *works* or not, but who's benefitting from procurement and management practices, financially and/or politically.

Pragmatic effectiveness is always a side effect.

#ai #capitalism #government #management

Went along to a local political debate that #son1 helped organise at his school yesterday. Sadly no more than 20 in the audience, but the teenagers did so well at hosting it, asking questions, and organising the whole thing. Some passionate debate between three parties about all kinds of topics.

Proud dad moment, but also making me reflect a lot on politics generally.

"(this may require legal and ethical considerations)"

Switch 2 with replaceable batteries is good. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/nintendo-confirms-revised-switch-2-console-with-replaceable-battery-for-eu-consumers

Return to form for Nintendo there, albeit a forced one. Most of my collection from the DMG to the Wii U Gamepad are still fairly replaceable.

Cat vs Magpies vs Leaves

@baldur SO much this - I know I've had to push to defend "the craft" for years as it is, but it just feels like people are actively seeking to destroy software *engineering* across the board now.

Devs are becoming poor managers and managers are becoming poor devs. Hopefully it'll leave a lot of mess to tidy up at least.

Can think of a few fairrrrly major issues facing the country right now, such as young people's economic prospects, the future of universities and the NHS, and the threat of climate change and global instability.

But no, rage and rioting it is again then. Ho hum.

#dyingisland

Your daily reminder that rage is for the weak, whatever the temperature.