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Ben Werdmuller
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I lead technology at ProPublica and write speculative fiction. This is a personal account. Every day, I write about tech, democracy, and society at https://werd.io. More about me: https://about.werd.io

New perfect blissful state unlocked: lying in bed, toddler cozily snoozing in your arm, as you read a really good book.

Eventually it ended when he woke up and demanded cheese, but there’s joy in that, too.

Elon Musk floats buying MSNBC, but he’s not the only billionaire who may be interested https://werd.io/2024/elon-musk-floats-buying-msnbc-but-hes-not-the-only

If you were building a new user-first social network and didn’t care about raising money, which jurisdiction would you do it in? The US? UK? EU? Switzerland? Japan? Somewhere else? Why?

Tiny little CRJ-700 to Medford. Reported 40mph gusts on landing. It’ll be fine, right? Right?

Source code underwater standups

🤝

subroutines

If you haven’t read it yet, Infinite Detail is a story that speaks directly to the era we’re living through - right up to alternative social networks and the emptiness of late-stage capitalism. I can’t recommend it more highly. https://bookshop.org/p/books/infinite-detail-tim-maughan/10353791

Taxiing down the runway ready to take off. Every time I sit in a plane I wish we had high speed rail instead: efficient, comfortable, more sustainable. ideally, cheaper. I’ve traveled across country by Amtrak; it’s fun, but as an end to itself, not a way to get there quickly. Oh well. Wheels up.

Flying to Medford, OR for a week. What’s good?

happy Doctor Who Day to everyone who celebrates. 61 years old!

The boiler broke. It is 36 degrees Fahrenheit. Brr.

Chromium is but Chrome - together with its business unit - is not.

Decentralised social media ‘increases citizen empowerment’, says Oxford study https://werd.io/2024/decentralised-social-media-increases-citizen-empowerment-says-oxford-study

Google must sell Chrome to end search monopoly, says US justice department https://werd.io/2024/google-must-sell-chrome-to-end-search-monopoly-says-us

Undergraduates with family income below $200,000 can expect to attend MIT tuition-free starting in 2025 https://werd.io/2024/undergraduates-with-family-income-below-200000-can-expect-to-attend