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FT

@formerlytomato.bsky.social
71 followers 77 following 268 posts

Blogger and organizer in the FOSS space. I write about the problems facing our world and the problems with the people who claim to have the answers. BLOG: formerlytomato.codeberg.page

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Reposted by FT
Nicole Bedera @nbedera.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
We've already been talking about the systemic mistreatment of sexual assault victims at Cornell. Now, let's talk about New York police. One of the best available insights is into the New York City Police Department who commissioned an independent review of their sexual assault unit in 2021.
nyc.gov
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Nicole Bedera @nbedera.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
A little context to add here: The fight for the soul of Title IX is longer than this post suggests. It started with attacks on sexual assault survivors in 2015. And that underscores OP’s central point. Schools capitulated then and look where we are now.
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FT @formerlytomato.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
You gotta read this, it contextualizes the deeper causes of the GFC in terms which parallels the Rot Econonmy: www.plutobooks.com/product/the-...
plutobooks.com
The Failure of Capitalist Production - Pluto Press
Distinctive and detailed account of the current economic crisis.
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Faine Greenwood @faineg.com · 27/09/2026
Women trying to succeed in Silicon Valley AI and effective altruist spaces are reporting feeling serious social pressure to attend sex parties - where people have reported being sexually assaulted, like below. Events like Aella’s “Slutcon,” which is happening again this weekend.
Ann Pierce
@itsannpierce
20h
I am disheartened by this as well. I already lost a bunch of followers for agreeing with @tautologer, but it's saddening to see local nerdy women being caricatured as Karen-like outsiders and getting pushed out of the scene. This is exactly why you hear so few concrete, names-attached stories of sexual harrassment and assault. I'm told there is a history of discrediting these because the "slut normalization" thing is top priority and these stories get inconveniently in the way of spreading this ideology.
I got roped into attending last year's Saturday Slutcon party because so many local and out-of-town friends were there (to echo sentiments @tautologer expressed about "slut events becoming central to the larger scenes). Mostly I hung out with people I knew and that was great. But in the course of my 3-ish hours there, there were 2 times my "no" was not accepted by a man I didn't know, and I was physically pushing a huge guy off of me who was rubbing his penis on me, who continued to do it despite my physical force against him, and after I finally wriggled away from him, told him I wanted to dance alone etc., he came back and did it again.
This was scary and bad, but it didn't even cross my mind to report this because one of the other people who didn't accept my "no" earlier in the night was the bartender (an officially sanctioned authority at the event), and I knew the event was organized exclusively by women into CNC (who are vocal about how rapey behavior turns them on), so I figured this sort of thing would just get me laughed at. And anyway, I heard there were a lot of other incidents like it. Later though, someone encouraged me to report this story to the organizers, and despite my embarrassment I did, so *they know* that this and other incidents happened. This is why they cut the Saturday night party this year and created a larger training program for the flirt girls - *because* of things like this last year. Yet the narrative bein…People who haven't been to Slutcon are saying "it's just group therapy," "it's just innocent flirting." But the environment is much like a sex party in that many people are nude, there is making out and sex acts happening out in the open. I think it's pretty unreasonable to expect that every nerdy girl who likes rationalist bloggers or is into EA/AI safety should automatically be comfortable with this! That if she's not, there's something wrong with her, we don't want her in our scenes, etc.
Not to mention, it's explictly an event *for men*, where men are the clients and the "flirt girls" are the product. Last year I overheard an exchange where a man felt "led on" by a flirt girl and was trying to get her punished/kicked out. (A dynamic that seems inevitable in this context!)
Anyway- it does sound like they've upped their consent education a lot this year, are more organized, and that's good! As I've told my friends who are attending: I hope they have fun!
I heard several accounts last year of women who had no problems and really enjoyed the event. That's great!
Just... can we live in reality about this? There are real reasons why male-female sexual dynamics are tricky.
Encouraging autistic men who can't yet read body language to go around asking to see womens' boobs is maybe a bit ill-advised. Maybe not everyone should be/identify as a slut; maybe it's not for everyone.
And yeah, filtering the Bay Area Al safety scene down to only women who are super comfy with this eliminates *most* women - including many of the really smart, nerdy, weird women who've been in the larger scenes for years. What a loss for humanity.
I absolutely understand why people with a minority sexuality would want to create belonging, would want to create spaces for people like themselves. But why do it like this/at this cost?
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Nicole Bedera @nbedera.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
One of the things that shocked me most in my study of campus sexual violence is that so many of the cases were just like this. The evidence was full of confessions. The perpetrators didn’t deny their violence. They just argued they should be allowed to do it and the school agreed.
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FT @formerlytomato.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
I wrote something recently trying to do exactly this with regards to tech. If you're interested in actual strategies for organizing, I lay out some here. disjunctionsmag.com/articles/fos...
disjunctionsmag.com
FOSS Contra Big Tech
Contestation beyond critique
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Ian is the Priest-King of the Sacred Grove at Nemi @poetinbabylon.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
as always, Wesley has the best ground rules for church music!!
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Fight for the Future @fightforthefuture.org · 09/09/2026
Despite major outrage from users when they initially rolled out age verification systems, Discord plans to make all accounts teen by default GLOBALLY & you have to scan your face or upload an ID to prove you aren't one. www.gadgetreview.com/discord-is-b...
gadgetreview.com
Discord Is Bringing Back Age Verification for Millions of Users
Discord age verification now locks stage channels, DMs, and adult content behind four ID methods — each with different privacy trade-offs worth knowing.
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FT @formerlytomato.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
Babysitting, cooking, and nutrition mostly. Some stuff on budgeting too.
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FT @formerlytomato.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
Gen Z, and yeah it was still a thing for us. Was co-ed and mandatory though.
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FT @formerlytomato.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
The Walter Benjamin quote referenced by the article:
Fascism attempts to organize the newly proletarianized masses without affecting the property structure which the masses strive to eliminate. Fascism sees its salvation in giving these masses not their right, but instead a chance to express themselves. The masses have a right to change property relations; Fascism seeks to give them an expression while preserving property. The logical result of Fascism is the introduction of aesthetics into political life. [...] Mankind, which in Homer’s time was a spectacle for the Olympian gods, has become one for itself. [...] Communism responds by politicizing art.[2]
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Disjunctions Magazine @disjunctionsmag.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
@aliaelkattan.com and Sarah Al Yahya, on the heroification of food delivery workers.
disjunctionsmag.com
Delivery App Heroes
Gig work in times of crisis
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FT @formerlytomato.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
"Like A Snowball" technical explainer: magnet:?xt=urn:btih:z7p4xjbqidfmpz4jpfwg3qspjlhtyygv&xt=urn:btmh:122040DFD9ECE3044B0A6AFA3ACDE433F5E541C1A74BA9978630FFE9E02E694EEBFF
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FT @formerlytomato.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Magnet links for torrenting: "A Growing Threat" report: magnet:?xt=urn:btih:eb3e6f89f9c71404643bc7b9bb6d74963017dda9&dn=Report_A_growing_threat_the_anti_rights_movement_in_the_UK_July.pdf "Like A Snowball": magnet:?xt=urn:btih:b434a9cf2926fa23b7058cc4c73e7849a4918a23&dn=Like_a_snowball_final_.pdf
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FT @formerlytomato.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
If you care at all about JK Rowling getting away with censorship, download a copy of these reports so they can't be erased from the internet.
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Alejandra Caraballo @esqueer.net · 20/08/2026
I've never seen such an effort to censor a document as I have the Amnesty International report on gender critical groups because of JK Rowling. They removed the report from the Wayback Machine and now I got a DMCA strike on my Google Drive for having it. It was deleted and removed from my account.
A screenshot of an email viewed in dark mode with the subject line "Google DMCA Violation." The email from Google informs the recipient that they have received a notification under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) that some of their materials allegedly infringe on copyrights. It explains the removal process, mentions that notice details will be posted on Lumen, warns against repeated violations, and lists one affected Google Drive URL at the bottomA nearly identical mobile browser screenshot of the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine. It shows a search for the same Amnesty International UK resources URL, resulting in the same message: "This URL has been excluded from the Wayback Machine."A mobile browser screenshot of the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine. A URL for an Amnesty International UK resources page is entered in the search bar, but the page displays the message: "This URL has been excluded from the Wayback Machine."
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Electronic Frontier Foundation @eff.org · 19/08/2026
Do you know how to spot covert automated license plate readers (ALPRs)? Here's what to look out for if you're on the U.S.-Mexico border. www.eff.org/deeplinks/2...
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404 Media @404media.co · 19/08/2026
Florida cop Lamar Roman used a license plate reader to stalk a woman he met on a TV show. We not only have footage of him pulling her over for no reason, but also statements from both him and the victim. @jasonkoebler.bsky.social reports. www.404media.co/i-saw-a-shin...
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Alejandra Caraballo @esqueer.net · 20/08/2026
One thing I wish people would realize is just how central JK Rowling is to the entire anti-trans ecosystem. Looking at a network node analysis of the top 200 anti-trans X accounts, she is the most central figure spanning both sides of the Atlantic from Republicans to Labour.
A network graph visualization on a dark background showing connections between various accounts. The central, highly connected node is labeled "J.K. Rowling," with lines radiating out to many other nodes color-coded by region (UK, US, etc.). A detail panel on the right displays stats for her account, including her role as "Author & commentator," an in-degree of 153, an out-degree of 84, and 14 million followers.A scatter plot graph on a dark background comparing accounts based on "followers (log)" on the x-axis and "in-degree" on the y-axis. The data points are color-coded by region. J.K. Rowling is highlighted as a major outlier in the top right corner, possessing the highest number of followers and the highest in-degree. Other labeled points lower on the graph include various politicians, individuals, and campaign organizations.
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FT @formerlytomato.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Academics/people accustomed to reading academic texts are often conditioned to not take rhetoric seriously, but its such a huge and central component of what actually goes into writing. And often times the response is to just blame the readers instead of the writer.
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FT @formerlytomato.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Attention span is a real thing for longer works, but I also wouldn't underestimate the role stilted jargon can play in completely getting a person to zone out. I used to be really bad with this, but as my style improved, I noticed more people would actually read what I wrote.
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Brendan Nyhan @brendannyhan.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
Disturbing @adambonica.bsky.social analysis of the Democratic scam PAC ecosystem and how the tactics they employ are also used by mainstream party orgs and elected officials to take advantage of vulnerable seniors data4democracy.substack.com/p/hook-and-s...
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Shareable @share-able.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
We can remove Flock cameras, especially when we challenge security nihilism! Learn more about how to end mass surveillance tech together with our new guide/zine, “How to kick out Flock” with @FlockOffIthaca. 🔗: shareable.net/how-to/kick-out-flock #Flock #MassSurveillance #ALPR
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404 Media @404media.co · 06/08/2026
NEW: Rather than get rid of ALPR cameras entirely after backlash to Flock, many cities and towns are switching to Axon, whose cameras can be mounted to an existing streetlamp, helping them blend into their surroundings.
404media.co
Cities Are Ditching Flock, Immediately Replacing It With Axon License Plate Readers
Rather than get rid of ALPR cameras entirely, many cities and towns are switching to Axon, whose cameras can be mounted to an existing streetlamp, helping them blend into their surroundings.
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FT @formerlytomato.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
It's funny how he talks as if OpenAI isn't functionally a Microsoft subsidiary at this point.
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wishda @wishda.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
The DSA in Wilmingotn, N.C. has created a "crisis" by putting benches at city bus stops, after literal decades of the city promising and failing to do so.
portcitydaily.com
Democratic Socialists’ bus benches remain, city mum on next steps | Port City Daily
WILMINGTON — The handmade bus benches installed by the Wilmington Democratic Socialists of America have highlighted a problem nearly everyone agrees exists: most Wave bus stops have nowhere for riders...
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Doctora Malka Older @older.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
More about this horrible, horrible decision of ending TPS, from a Haitian perspective, here: globalvoices.org/2026/07/04/w...
globalvoices.org
What the ending of the U.S.’ Temporary Protection Status could mean for Haiti
“Haiti remains gripped by armed violence [...] and a profound humanitarian crisis [and] the Supreme Court has given a green light to treat hundreds of thousands of Haitian families as disposable.”
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404 Media @404media.co · 27/07/2026
Claude users are creating public share links, but probably don't realize that means their chats are now ending up in Google searches where anyone can dig through them.
404media.co
Tons of Peoples’ Claude Chats and Creations are Exposed on Google
Claude users are creating public share links, but probably don't realize that means their chats are now ending up in Google searches where anyone can dig through them.
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Michael Pettis @michaelpettis.bsky.social · 25/07/2026
1/4 There was a lot of talk last year about fighting involution and reversing excess capacity, but while capacity has indeed declined, according to Caixin it hasn't declined by nearly enough to end severe overcapacity problems in the solar industry. www.caixinglobal.com/2026-07-24/c...
caixinglobal.com
Chart of the Day: China’s New Solar Build Out Plunges
The drop comes as manufacturers along the supply chain scale back production in the face of severe overcapacity
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FT @formerlytomato.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
Lol, is this what they brought Jonny Ive on for?
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Lucy Parsons Labs @lucyparsonslabs.com · 20/07/2026
Want to see a public collection of all the times cops have been busted abusing Flock systems to stalk exes, spy on protests, or deport migrants? You can check it out here 👇🏽👇🏽👇🏽 HT @deflock library.kansas.watch
library.kansas.watch
ALPR Abuse Library — Kansas Watch
A publicly maintained index of news articles documenting abuses, misuses, and civil liberties concerns related to Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs).
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FT @formerlytomato.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
Completely unrelated but its wild that you managed to snag "fujoshi.bsky.social" as a handle
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FT @formerlytomato.bsky.social · 21/11/2025
I'm by no means a nationalist. But when I see the kinds of people who are now claiming to represent America, it makes me start to ask some questions.
open.substack.com
There Are No Patriots
Waving flags isn't going to save America.
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Animation Obsessive @ani-obsessive.bsky.social · 30/11/2025
From: Black Soul (2000), dir. Martine Chartrand, National Film Board of Canada Chartrand spent over five years animating this film with paint on glass
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FT @formerlytomato.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
They're already trying to do this to books. We need to sound the alarm bells, because they won't stop.
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tami lam @cuppy.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
I don’t want this point to be lost in the discourse. Going digital-only means inequity for people who cannot afford internet or constantly purchasing new games. Libraries provide opportunities for people to experience games they otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford, and that will be lost.
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FT @formerlytomato.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
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Michael Schulman @michaelschulman.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
A data-driven analysis of how the New York Times's treatment of transgender subjects shifted "from rights-based framing toward more skeptical, conflict-driven coverage" since 2014, centering trans-rights opponents over trans people themselves. www.advocate.com/politics/nat...
advocate.com
The New York Times helped turn trans rights into political controversy, analysis finds
A new data investigation says the paper of record increasingly framed transgender rights as a debate instead of a lived reality.
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FT @formerlytomato.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
Is it repairable? I feel like that's what matters most.
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Brandon Butler @bb.usefairuse.com · 24/06/2026
Read the whole thing, but in a nutshell it's the same thing I generally say: 1) AI training as a process is pretty clearly fair use, and we should all want it to be fair use, because things we agree are good rely on it. 2) Don't fall for trickle-down copyright economics. jacobin.com/2026/06/ai-b...
jacobin.com
Cory Doctorow on the Right — and Wrong — Way to Criticize AI
Worrying about whether AI can do your job is a blind alley, Cory Doctorow argues. The real danger is AI’s bubble: a speculative fantasy built on convincing bosses to replace workers with systems that ...
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FT @formerlytomato.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
I've been doing a lot of organizing in the FOSS space this past year over Signal and have been running into the a lot of the same questions you have. Hit me up if you would like to share notes/talk about this further.
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patak @patak.cat · 28/02/2026
i'm starting to realize we'll be able to move a lot more than our 1-1 chats/calls to signal. we're all already there (or getting there). we can also transfer our private open source governance conversations that are currently happening in discord private channels. ux works out using chat folders
signal's create a folder settings page, it has included chats, exceptions, only show unread chats, muted chats
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FT @formerlytomato.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpzV...
youtube.com
Trump Voter Feels Betrayed By President After Reading 800 Pages Of Queer Feminist Theory
YouTube video by The Onion
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FT @formerlytomato.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
@jasminpigemoji.bsky.social Would you ever consider publishing text versions of your video essays (or just plain transcripts) to a blog of sorts? You make some extremely high quality analysis and it'd be great to have something more easily searchable/citable.
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Ed Zitron @edzitron.com · 16/06/2026
Exclusive: I have seen OpenAI's audited financials for 2024 and 2025. In 2025, OpenAI had $13.07 billion in revenue and $34 billion in costs. $867 million of its revenue came from SoftBank, and $303 million came from Microsoft. www.wheresyoured.at/exclusive-op...
wheresyoured.at
Exclusive: OpenAI Losses Increased Nearly 8X in 2025, With Spending Hitting $34 Billion
Soundtrack: In Flames - Colony To further support my independent journalism, please subscribe to my premium newsletter. It’s $7 a month or $70 a year. If you’re subscribed to the free newsletter and ...
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Joseph Cox @josephcox.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
Some really crazy cases in here - cop looked up ex-girlfriend and family in Flock 100+ times - cop stalked wife giving "test" as reason - cop searched one plate 395 times in 10 months; was later fired Cops keep getting arrested for using Flock to stalk people www.404media.co/cops-keep-ge...
404media.co
Cops Keep Getting Arrested for Using Flock to Stalk People
There have been more than a dozen cases around the country where police use Flock to obsessively and illegally stalk people.
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Moira Donegan @moiradonegan.bsky.social · 07/06/2026
Anyway capitalism and feminism are not the same, capital is not feminine in general and management positions are not feminized, but antifeminism sure is a socialism of fools.
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FT @formerlytomato.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
Really interesting piece, reminds me a lot of Andrea Dworkin's profiles of Anita Bryant and Phyllis Schafly.
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404 Media @404media.co · 08/06/2026
In 1999, a farmer gave away 87 acres of land to a small Texas town to use as a park. The town sold to a data center developer for $10 million.
404media.co
A Farmer Donated Land to Turn into a Park. The City Is Building a Massive Data Center Instead
In 1999, a farmer gave away 87 acres of land to a small Texas town to use as a park. The town sold to a data center developer for $10 million.
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Sophie E. Hill @sophieehill.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
Many campaign groups are focusing on niche/proximate harms from the Online Safety Act ("gay teen can't access LGBT forum", etc.) instead of the much bigger and broader privacy issues. I think that's a mistake. It reinforces the framing that "child safety" regulation only affects children.
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