“The perfect is an enemy of the good” is a cliché but also a good maxim to keep in mind for any project. It’s applicable for work, but also for clearing out a house to move out. Just get it done.

"Citing a ProPublica report on Paramount providing luxury Kennedy Center gala tickets to FCC officials, the complaints note that commissioners accepted the gifts while the FCC was reviewing or about to review megamergers involving Paramount." […]

Any classic phone nerds here? I think this is a ringer extension, but I'm not positive. I need to buy a cover (it's 4.75"x3"). Any thoughts?

Some personal news https://werd.io/my-next-experiment/

My next experiment

I'm spending a year at Stanford to explore community platforms in news.

werd.io

I still love Zen Browser. Exactly the right mix of features for me; regular updates; Firefox at its core. I browse in full-screen with the sidebar set to auto-hide and it just gets out of my way in the way I need. https://werd.io/why-im-all-in-on-zen-browser/

Why I'm all-in on Zen Browser

After Arc's pivot to AI left power users behind, I found the browser I actually wanted.

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🤦‍♂️ https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/30/bike-lanes-defund-trump-administration-dei

Economic historian Carlo M. Cipolla was a friend of my father. This book of his has not become *less* relevant over time ... https://bookshop.org/a/7949/9780385546478

Every week I gather notable links and articles that I think are worth discussing. Today's roundup includes: leaders are leverage for fractal change; data collectives may be an answer for communities who have been strip-mined for data and value; what not to do at the border […]

I retrieved a valuable possession from the office.

I'm going to come out and say I hate political memes. Hate them. Those graphics that have a slogan designed to be reshared in place of an original thought? I wish I could filter them out of my feeds and never see them again for as long as I live.

"Leaders are leverage. Every leader is a multiplier, if they choose to be." #Media https://werd.io/change-is-fractal-it-starts-with-leaders/

Change is fractal. It starts with leaders

"Leaders are leverage. Every leader is a multiplier, if they choose to be."

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This implications of this are interesting to think about. If Microsoft can't fix its bugs fast enough, how might it change the software development process so it can? And what does that imply about the future of software development (and engineers in particular)? […]

Civics. https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-nick-adams-state-flag-charity-civics-state-department

This seems very good. https://bonfirenetworks.org/posts/bonfire-for-communities/

Announcing Bonfire for communities: groups and tools to organise together

Groups and topics, community rules and decision-making, events, organisation profiles, federated comments, custom themes: built with the communities who needed them, ready to use as-is, or to shape into a flavour of your community's own.

bonfirenetworks.org

I'm not sure right-aligned and left-aligned fit well, but I think it's very clear that some technology founders genuinely want to empower all of humanity, and some want to empower the people who are just like them. The only tech that matters is the kind that makes *everyone's* life better.

The DOJ is trying to prosecute Sam Tunick for allegedly using a duress passcode. It's a lesson in why your best protection is having nothing to protect. #Democracy https://werd.io/dont-bring-sensitive-data-to-a-border-crossing/

Truly, it's a pretty good playroom.

"Data collectives and cooperatives, which let creators control the collection and distribution of their data, are emerging as preferred alternatives to big tech companies." #AI https://werd.io/can-data-collectives-help-strengthen-vulnerable-cultures-in-the-face-of-ai/

Can data collectives help strengthen vulnerable cultures in the face of AI?

"Data collectives and cooperatives, which let creators control the collection and distribution of their data, are emerging as preferred alternatives to big tech companies."

werd.io

"Basically, when you look at the most popular pieces of entertainment in the world, they tend to be pure wish fulfillment. And I don't think queer creators should surrender one of the most powerful tools in storytelling to be used only by those who hate us." I love this […]

Every week I gather notable links and articles that I think are worth discussing. Today's roundup includes: why America's walled-garden AI strategy may be a mistake, why we can't trust AI vendors with our most private data, and how the US health insurance system blocks new innovation […]

There were two big lapses in the Hugging Face / OpenAI hacking story: the lack of security protections on OpenAI's end, and Hugging Face's vulnerable production database. That should worry anyone who uses AI with sensitive data. #AI […]

1 in 4 American workers stay in their jobs because of the healthcare. It suppresses wages and working conditions - and prevents innovators from heading out on their own. #Democracy https://werd.io/private-healthcare-makes-industries-less-innovative-its-time-for-change/

One of those days where the lure of disappearing in a sprinter van by myself for six months is looming pretty large. Onwards.

Migrant farmworkers are often the victims of abuse at the hands of the people who employ them. Max Blau has been reporting on this problem for the past year. Now he asks: how can you be sure your produce doesn't come from an abusive farm? It turns out to be maddeningly hard […]

More fuel for my generally-held opinion that private schools should be banned. https://www.propublica.org/article/private-schools-vouchers-growth-florida-arizona-west-virginia

RE: https://hachyderm.io/@evacide/116955715183991053 I'm going to miss my house in PA in many ways, but I'm also looking forward to living in a functional state with what are at least closer to adequate protections.

Apps like Granola make it easy to transcribe conversations without asking for consent. Those transcripts are a subpoena honeypot. #Technology https://werd.io/people-are-transcribing-your-conversations-without-asking-that-puts-you-at-risk/

People are transcribing your conversations without asking. That puts you at risk.

Apps like Granola make it easy to transcribe conversations without asking for consent. Those transcripts are a subpoena honeypot.

werd.io

Enjoying the comments from that wacky gang on Hacker News

I know it's not the biggest or most important thing about what's happening in UK politics today, but it drives me bananas that all these politicians are making statements on X. Even Instagram would be a better choice. What will it take for people to leave that hateful site?!

China's open-weights AI strategy is winning: its companies are taking the lead. America's closed-first, locked-down strategy is doomed to failure - and it could take the US economy down with it. #AI https://werd.io/american-ai-is-locked-down-and-proprietary-its-losing/

American AI is locked down and proprietary. It's losing.

China's open-weights AI strategy is winning: its companies are taking the lead. America's closed-first, locked-down strategy is doomed to failure - and it could take the US economy down with it.

werd.io