iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Sterling Hammer @sterlinghammer.com · 04/06/2026

Solid piece here by @masnick.com - we are at a crossroads now where we have a decision to make. The need for decentralization has never been greater - but it needs to be accessible. www.liberalism.org/p/enshittifi...

The problem of centralized systems is that they create an irresistible temptation to control and exploit. Users who found value early on feel stuck: they can leave, but doing so means abandoning their community. That lack of easy exit creates lock-in, and lock-in enables enshittification.
And the same chokepoints that let companies extract value also let governments extract power. Those seeking control hunt up and down the network stack for leverage, and centralized providers concentrate it.
Call this despotification: the political analog of enshittification, where the same chokepoints get exploited to extract compliance from platforms—and ultimately to gain control over what people can say and hear.

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Sterling Hammer @sterlinghammer.com · 22/05/2026

As insane as Donald Trumps Insurrectionist slush fund its.. it's pretty easy to make an argument it violates Section 4 of the Fourteenth Amendment.

Section 4

The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void.

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Sterling Hammer @sterlinghammer.com · 15/05/2026

This seems totally fine... but yeah lets AI all the things. Millions if not billions of systems around the world sit like this, wide open to the internet with weak or no passwords at all. We can't even get the basics right.

The hackers responsible have exploited automatic tank gauge (ATG) systems that were sitting online and unprotected by passwords, allowing them in some cases to tinker with display readings on the tanks but not the actual levels of fuel in them, the sources said.

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Sterling Hammer @sterlinghammer.com · 25/04/2026

One of the major weaknesses of the United States is this “every man for himself” mentality. Our policies are built in such a way that they punish the vast majority of Americans. And yet the very Americans they hurt vote for more of it. www.vice.com/en/article/w...

Places like Germany and Sweden offer childcare subsidies, parental leave, and direct financial support from the government. Meanwhile, the United States has an “every man for himself” philosophy that hurts everyone and helps no one.

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Sterling Hammer @sterlinghammer.com · 22/04/2026

They've completely lost the plot. It wasn't all that long ago they were creating things that we actualy wanted. That actually enhanced our lives. Now, they're just chasing VC money. 3/3

Within recent memory, people who made software and hardware understood their job was to serve their customer. It was to identify a need, and then fill it. But at some point following the financial crisis, would-be entrepreneurs got it into their heads that their job was to invent the future, and consumers’ job was to go along with that invented future.

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Sterling Hammer @sterlinghammer.com · 22/04/2026

First Crypto and NFTs, now AI. I do believe AI will change how many people work, but it will not dramatically change everyones lives. 2/3

The people who tell us that AI will dominate our future and take our jobs are the people who are hoping that will be true.

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Sterling Hammer @sterlinghammer.com · 06/04/2026

Some photos from the University of Washington Cherry Blossoms a couple weeks back 🌸 #Photography

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Sterling Hammer @sterlinghammer.com · 11/02/2026

Strange... via Race to the White House. Latest @today.yougov.com has him at 37% approval. Ironically, I actually think he believe's he's popular. The man doesn't live in reality.

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Sterling Hammer @sterlinghammer.com · 01/02/2026

Strange, must have been someone else! 😂

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Sterling Hammer @sterlinghammer.com · 09/03/2025

Nova Moon enjoying a relaxing Sunday. She makes use of every part of the couch and every pillow 😂 #Corgi #Dogs #Photography

A Red and White Pembroke Welsh Corgi relaxing on top of a blue couch cushion with a white pillow beside her. She looks relaxed, eyes closed.

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Sterling Hammer @sterlinghammer.com · 24/02/2025

I don't post my #photography often on here, not because I don't want to... but because I overthink posting images on social media to the point where.. I don't end up posting anything at all 🤣 Here's one of my favorites of my cat Archer, basking in the fall sunlight last November.

An orange tabby cat named Archer lying on a bench with his legs outstretched and eyes half closed, basking in the bright sunlight coming in from outside.

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Sterling Hammer @sterlinghammer.com · 25/11/2024

One of the highlights of flying in or out of #Seattle is seeing Mt. Rainier (Tahoma) out the window. I wanted to take a different kind of photo on this approach and waited until it appeared in the window - then adjusted my exposure to bring out the mountain 🏔️ ✈️ 📸 #Photography

A photo of Mt. Rainier taken through the window of a plane. The photo is framed by the back of plane seats on the right, and on the left a man looking out the window while another one works on his laptop. The foreground is darkened, revealing the snow covered mountain out the window with clouds underneath it.

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Sterling Hammer @sterlinghammer.com · 25/11/2024

So far #AI has been just another way for SaaS companies to charge more money on top of their existing subscription fees. Here they want more money for their #AI editing feature. Seeing this a ton in the #Photography space.

A screenshot of an application showing a credit balance of 1,000 and several options to top up the balance and add more credits to use AI editing.

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Sterling Hammer @sterlinghammer.com · 23/11/2024

Say hello to Nova, my #Corgi who sometimes lets me take her photo 🤣 whenever I add a new lens or camera to my collection - one of my pets is always the first subject 📸 #Photography #Dogs #SonyAlpha

A portrait of a Pembroke Welsh Corgi, here she is posing for the photo and looking off to the side. Feet outstretched in front of her

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Sterling Hammer @sterlinghammer.com · 19/11/2024

One of my recent favorites from a trip to #Victoria #BC #Photography I took.. a large number of photos of the MV Coho (Ferry pictured in the center). Here it's making its way into the Harbor from Port Angeles, WA. The Olympics are visible in the background.

A photo of a large ferry, the MV Coho entering Victoria Harbor on a fall evening at dusk. Visible in the background is the Olympic Mountains and in the foreground several people enjoying the evening on a bench in the park overlooking the water.

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Sterling Hammer @sterlinghammer.com · 18/11/2024

Something a lot different than my last photo... Captured at the Washington Midsummer Ren Faire this past summer from a performance of Equestrian Chaos! This is one of my favorites from the past year, the perspective makes it look like I'm about to have a bad day! #Photography #SonyAlpha #Equestrian

A photo of a horse coming at the camera, dirt in the foreground from the low angle. A rider is hanging on the side of the horse with a bow and arrow in hand performing in front of a crowd

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Sterling Hammer @sterlinghammer.com · 18/11/2024

Let's try some #Photography on BSky! I'm a photographer based in the Pacific Northwest #PNW and focus mostly on action/events, but always have a camera with me! This was taken at Pike Place Market back in September. A person walked through at just the right time #Leica #Seattle #StreetPhotography

A photo of Pike Place Market in Seattle. The Pike Place Parking sign brightly visible on the left, the Joe Desimone Bridge crossing the street dimly lit below. A person is walking between pillars looking at their phone, shadow on the wall behind. The skyline of Seattle is a bit visible over the foreground of Pike Place.

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