Cycloneblaze's recent activity
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Comment on Notes on a US non-profit indicted for bank fraud in ~society
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Comment on Tildes Survey #1: How old are you? (Results) in ~talk
Cycloneblaze Link ParentI'd also be inclined to try and check the text of the regulation, but it's a complex one to say the least, and as laypeople you and I we are probably better off deferring to the interpretation...I'd also be inclined to try and check the text of the regulation, but it's a complex one to say the least, and as laypeople you and I we are probably better off deferring to the interpretation given by the Commission on that page.
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Comment on What if AI just makes us work harder? in ~tech
Cycloneblaze Link ParentI would counter that this is a bit like people who don't see value in participating in politics. The "invisible hand" of the market is not neutral - if we do not exercise control over a market...Whether a committee or an individual, if any number of fallible humans try to manage the economic output of millions of people, they will not only fail but they will become corrupt, without question.
I would counter that this is a bit like people who don't see value in participating in politics. The "invisible hand" of the market is not neutral - if we do not exercise control over a market economy on a social level, some group of people will take the opportunity to do so.
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Comment on Apple brings age verification to UK users in iOS 26.4 in ~tech
Cycloneblaze Link ParentTo be fair, I suppose these challenges are more global than previously - the internet and the large American social platforms that define it these days are everywhere.To be fair, I suppose these challenges are more global than previously - the internet and the large American social platforms that define it these days are everywhere.
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Comment on Apple brings age verification to UK users in iOS 26.4 in ~tech
Cycloneblaze Link ParentIt's not a strong case at all, what are you talking about? There are many factors that could explain that other than national governments being directed by a "central authority", factors which are...It's not a strong case at all, what are you talking about? There are many factors that could explain that other than national governments being directed by a "central authority", factors which are more persuasive and require no conspiracies at all.
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Comment on What are your architectural hot takes? in ~design
Cycloneblaze Link ParentThere are ugly brutalist buildings. But brutalism is not ugly. It's not the intent of the architectural style and it's not the inevitable result.There are ugly brutalist buildings. But brutalism is not ugly. It's not the intent of the architectural style and it's not the inevitable result.
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Comment on EU says TikTok faces large fine over "addictive design" in ~tech
Cycloneblaze Link ParentWhen exactly is this going to happen - when does it ever happen? It's completely kneecapping ourselves to insist that the only way we have to bring these bad actors to heel is to hope that...In this kind of situation, the better way would be for everyone to recognize that TikTok (or Meta, or X, or whatever) is harmful to society and the consequence should be that TikTok becomes unprofitable because everyone stops using and letting their kids use the app.
When exactly is this going to happen - when does it ever happen? It's completely kneecapping ourselves to insist that the only way we have to bring these bad actors to heel is to hope that everyone, individually, will coordinate against them to bankrupt them. Moreover, it's fundamentally reactive - if this happens it's only going to happen after the harm has already been done. We can do better than that.
Why does the government get to step in between and declare their authority over that consensual relationship?
I don't view the government as a third party separate from me or TikTok. I view government as what happens when we decide collectively how we want our society to be structured. I think it is a tool that allows us to do things that would be completely impossible individually or in ad-hoc gatherings, things like imposing consequences on extremely powerful and wealthy corporations, or laying out sets of rules to prevent harm to all of us on a societal scale. (And I don't think one's individual relationship with Bytedance the corporation is anything sacred.)
Now I know, if we're talking about the US, that it's hard not to adopt such libertarian tendencies when you see how the very significant power of the administration is being weaponised (although my first worry would definitely not be about them regulating social media apps...) But I think that's kind of throwing the baby out with the bathwater - it's clear that the US government has been captured by a bunch of selfish and disorganised fascists, and they're destroying as much state capacity (see mass layoffs across all government agencies, see the abdication of the CDC's mandate to prevent disease) as they are abusing. They are doing that because "the government" is largely made up of reasonable people doing their best to implement sensible policies that benefit society, and that really gets in the way if you want to conduct fascist oppression with impunity. I don't think the problem was that the state capacity was there in the first place. I think the US would be worse off without it. Again, they know this, which is why they are trying to break it.
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Comment on EU says TikTok faces large fine over "addictive design" in ~tech
Cycloneblaze Link ParentIf you know a better way for us to collectively impose consequences on bad actors who do harm on a societal scale, I'm all ears, but governments seem like a pretty good solution to me.If you know a better way for us to collectively impose consequences on bad actors who do harm on a societal scale, I'm all ears, but governments seem like a pretty good solution to me.
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Comment on Two small word games in ~games
Cycloneblaze Link ParentOh, that's why I could barely make any words on the Unzip... I wasn't even seeing half of the letters! I don't see a better way to display the game board at the minute, but a hint to mobile users...Oh, that's why I could barely make any words on the Unzip... I wasn't even seeing half of the letters!
I don't see a better way to display the game board at the minute, but a hint to mobile users to turn their screen (or scroll to the right) would be very helpful 🙂
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Comment on You are being misled about renewable energy technology in ~enviro
Cycloneblaze Link ParentThe point being made in the video is about switching energy sources from fossil fuels to solar power. It hasn't got anything to do with products which are made from petroleum. I mean the quote is...made almost entirely with fossil fuels
The point being made in the video is about switching energy sources from fossil fuels to solar power. It hasn't got anything to do with products which are made from petroleum. I mean the quote is "powered by petroleum products", you can't expand that to include other uses of petroleum.
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Comment on Newcastle council is looking into restoring a ferry route between the UK city and Bergen in Norway – it last operated in 2008, when it was cancelled due to rising oil prices in ~transport
Cycloneblaze Link ParentThat's not true. While the UK was still an EU member, as a UK citizen you needed to bring a passport to enter the Schengen Area. Ireland was (and is) in the same situation, and to this day I need...That's not true. While the UK was still an EU member, as a UK citizen you needed to bring a passport to enter the Schengen Area. Ireland was (and is) in the same situation, and to this day I need to use a passport to enter the Schengen area from a flight from Ireland, just the same as I need to pass passport control when entering Ireland on a flight from a Schengen area country. The UK (nor Ireland) never signed the Schengen Agreement and they both got an opt-out when it became EU law, which Ireland retains.
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Comment on Newcastle council is looking into restoring a ferry route between the UK city and Bergen in Norway – it last operated in 2008, when it was cancelled due to rising oil prices in ~transport
Cycloneblaze Link ParentThey were never part of Schengen, hence the border checks.They were never part of Schengen, hence the border checks.
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Comment on New books aren’t worth reading in ~books
Cycloneblaze LinkWell good that the topic link's now been changed from an X post to the source, but given the source is a Substack with other scintillating posts such as "The Family is the Foundation of...Well good that the topic link's now been changed from an X post to the source, but given the source is a Substack with other scintillating posts such as "The Family is the Foundation of Civilization: Why weakening the family dooms society" and lines like "Rhodesians never die" - on a t-shirt! - I don't think I'll be reading further.
I am sort of interested what @cloud_loud found interesting in the original topic that motivated sharing it here, though.
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Comment on Hacktivist deletes three white supremacist websites live onstage during hacker conference in ~tech
Cycloneblaze LinkThis is what anti-fascism and anti-racism look like. You don't let white supremacists start up social networks to network and align and recruit new followers, then just wring your hands and wonder...This is what anti-fascism and anti-racism look like. You don't let white supremacists start up social networks to network and align and recruit new followers, then just wring your hands and wonder what a bad sign this is. You act against it, you combat it, you stop it. We aren't powerless against Neo-Nazis. When we fight, we show people what is right, and we win.
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Comment on The gift card accountability sink in ~finance
Cycloneblaze Link ParentIt sounded more to me like your comment just prompted some self-reflection than that your comment was trying to call them out on their attitude. I think your tone was fine, for what it's worthIt sounded more to me like your comment just prompted some self-reflection than that your comment was trying to call them out on their attitude. I think your tone was fine, for what it's worth
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Comment on Proposed amendments to Denmark's laws on copyright and broadcasting would see VPNs limited for common uses under changes to combat access to illegal streaming services in ~tech
Cycloneblaze Link ParentI don't know, is it undoubtable? There's nothing to say that a greatly expanded digital surveillance infrastructure would actually be used to prevent more crimes. Sure, it's likely that some...I don't know, is it undoubtable? There's nothing to say that a greatly expanded digital surveillance infrastructure would actually be used to prevent more crimes. Sure, it's likely that some number of crimes could be prevented with it, but there would also be some number of additional civil rights violations, and the opportunity to wield that surveillance infrastructure for selfish purposes might become more interesting than using it to prevent crimes. Hell, if deployed by a corrupt government - or inherited by one - you might imagine, being corrupt, that they would use it to preserve organised crime!
So actually, I think nacho misses the point with the effects of banning tools like VPNs, but I don't think we necessarily need to accept their premise either.
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Comment on EU drops 2035 combustion engine ban as global electric vehicle shift faces reset in ~transport
Cycloneblaze LinkHow disappointing. What rank hypocrisy for Volkswagen, famed cheater on emissions tests, to act like they care about emissions from the cars they build. Their support for this climbdown should...How disappointing.
"Opening up the market to vehicles with combustion engines while compensating for emissions is pragmatic and in line with market conditions," said Germany's Volkswagen, Europe's biggest carmaker by volume.
What rank hypocrisy for Volkswagen, famed cheater on emissions tests, to act like they care about emissions from the cars they build. Their support for this climbdown should have been a poison pill.
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Comment on Proposed amendments to Denmark's laws on copyright and broadcasting would see VPNs limited for common uses under changes to combat access to illegal streaming services in ~tech
Cycloneblaze Link ParentWho are these serious human rights organisations, who are these "other groups" who are saying that mass surveillance of digital communication is the only way to prevent crimes? Because I can think...I want to reiterate: There's still no workable solution in this thread to mass surveillance of digital communication. That's not something to forget. I also want to remind everyone that all these law enforcement agencies all over the world, serious human rights organizations, all sorts of groups we should listen to are saying it's the only way.
Who are these serious human rights organisations, who are these "other groups" who are saying that mass surveillance of digital communication is the only way to prevent crimes? Because I can think of a few who would say that the ability to hide your digital footprint is a paramount civil right.
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Comment on Statement from Mozilla's new CEO in ~tech
Cycloneblaze Link ParentYeah the strategy document has a lot to dislike, what jumped out at me: Not for me they won't! And I'll stop using Firefox and Thunderbird if this is what they transform into!Yeah the strategy document has a lot to dislike, what jumped out at me:
New AI-native interfaces will replace traditional browsers and email clients.
Not for me they won't! And I'll stop using Firefox and Thunderbird if this is what they transform into!
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Comment on Without looking, do you have a vague idea of your coordinates? in ~talk
Cycloneblaze LinkI'm quite familiar with how far north I am, to a whole number of degrees, and judging how far east I am on the same scale isn't difficult since I'm so close to the meridian. That's good enough to...I'm quite familiar with how far north I am, to a whole number of degrees, and judging how far east I am on the same scale isn't difficult since I'm so close to the meridian. That's good enough to locate myself on like, a national level. I wouldn't know well enough to navigate in my city or anything.
I come to wonder about McKenzie's moral position, reading this piece. It's very clear that he disapproves of the SPLC's actions pressuring banks and corporations to discontinue services to alt-right figures generally and Trump specifically. With the lengthy discussion in the first half of how the financial compliance apparatus handily creates evidence for prosecutions, he almost sounds a bit disappointed that they were stupid enough to trip the bear traps and get caught in an inevitable conviction.
But lest ye think that his objection is only a patronising "come on now" for sloppiness in an intentionally dangerous legal regime, the second half of the piece describes in detail his disdain for the SPLC's aims and tactics. It seems mostly disconnected from any discussion of bank fraud - except to support the claim that "This looks like retaliation for the SPLC coordinating a coalition to interfere with Trump political fundraising" by proving the second half of it. It's hard to read this part of the piece as other than laying groundwork for the SPLC to be formally accused of violating various campaign finance provisions - he helpfully bolds that part, near the end.
This is sort of the thesis statement for the rest of the article. I read it as: you can cleanly separate neo-Nazis from Trump as leader of the Republican party, and it's at least illegitimate to exercise this kind of financial power over the latter. Naturally I disagree on both points.
I think the (very long) story recounted up to the end of the piece creates an impression of influence that the actual facts don't support. Namely: the SPLC’s coalition put a lot of pressure on banks and tech companies, but the crescendo of their influence is really in the part where Trump's accounts with JP Morgan were closed - for which McKenzie isn't even willing to credit this coalition, saying "Industry participants do not perceive themselves as having highly weighted the opinions of coalition participants during these few days." How much power did this coalition actually, factually, exercise over Trump or his political allies? How much power did they even exercise over Nazis - McKenzie recounts that mainly having happened in the wake of Charlottesville, and "sometimes proactively", "sometimes after receiving communication from activists".
There's a bit of sleight of hand at points here. McKenzie goes on about SPLC and its allies targeting right-wing figures and using their influence with the same compliance apparatus to cut off said figures' financial activities, largely because of their speech.
Okay, but SPLC is not the government. McKenzie labours the point that they stand out from the other bodies having influence in the compliance pipeline in not being the government! Which means there's nothing wrong with them targeting figures based on their speech! You can disagree with who they choose to target and why (and oh boy, does McKenzie disagree) but you can't say that the act of it was invalid.
The amount of rhetorical questions and conclusions left unsaid in this piece gets to be grating, although I've read a few other articles by McKenzie and that's not unique to this one. A couple examples stuck out:
"Of course you, the reader, know better now, don't you?" It's obvious the lack of sympathy the author has for these aims.
Meaning that, of course, any legal consequences for the SPLC as a member of CTT will also rain down on CTT's other members. McKenzie spends a fair few words immediately after this explicitly linking the SPLC to the coalition and its other members.
Creating distance between yourself and your statements on a one-man newsletter by giving the name of the publication and talking about "editorial decisions" is a neat rhetorical trick. The publication is just you, Patrick. You, personally, have a position on how valuable the SPLC's extremist list is both in the financial compliance apparatus and in making value judgements generally. I can guess that it's not good.
Another thing that stuck out: McKenzie repeatedly reminds the reader that the coalition's efforts are supposedly "non-partisan" in a tone that's downright snotty. As I count it he calls them non-partisan ten times, sometimes sarcastically, and he quotes any member of this coalition saying they are non-partisan once. I don't think it's risible to say that opposing Donald Trump in particular can be a non-partisan effort, but to the author it's a lie as severe as bank fraud.
The impression that I am left with at the end of the piece, which is only reinforced by the "Does Bits about Money have a political agenda?" section, is that McKenzie is personally opposed to the Change the Terms coalition's pressure to get Trump severed from his political contributions. He variously characterises their tactics and methods as gauche and naive. He basically states outright that they're partisan to a degree that makes them illegitimate as a charity. He is offended by coalition members' conduct towards industry professionals in their private meetings, and creates the impression that the stark rhetoric they used was cynical and empty, preying on moral sympathies for political (that is, anti-Trump) ends. He repeatedly describes them as trying to suppress speech.
But does he think that it was unjust? That poor little Donald Trump didn't deserve this pressure campaign from the big bad progressive coalition? That would affect my estimation of McKenzie quite a bit. Remember, as it stands right now, Trump won that battle. The retaliation for the pressure campaign has come and to hear McKenzie tell it, it was not only earned but deserved.