Wednesday, October 30, 2024

Episode 253: SaaSsy Pirates Say ARR

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While lots of opinion page ink has been spilled over ASOLs making our lives unpredictable, no one, it seems, has taken the time to think of a good reason why. I explore one both possible and likely reason in this Episode 253: SaaSsy Pirates Say ARR.

In this episode, I read from: Matt Stoller's Big article "Lina Khan verses Planet Fitness"; and Ed Zitron's Where Your Ed's At article "The Next Bubble?" I recount from memory my buddy's time as a professional using various incarnations of hard- and software.

I play: a new intro with Cory Doctorow recorded at the latest DEF CON bashing the biggest maker of office software, all while backed by KMFDM's "Attak." I close now with Julie & Rolf & The Campfire Gang doing "Over the Rainbow".

Tuesday, October 15, 2024

Episode 252: Stupid ASOLs

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When something is new, its very introduction can cause friction, even havoc. People always wonder how good or bad things could get. In this Episode 252, I offer a bit disjointed ranting on the business end of Large Language Models, or Stupid ASOLs.

In this Episode, I read from: a blog post from an Italian computer scientist concerning her term for ASOLs, SALAMI; and Ed Zitron's article called "The Subprime AI Crisis". I recalled from my 15 years as a professional mariner some details about poop decks and heads, so you would know the difference. (I also mentioned briefly a Reuters article concerning the restart of Three Mile Island, but neglected to mention this in the wrap-up at the end. I apologize for my oversight.)

I played: the ASOL-created "podcast" piece of shit Dr. Kristen Stuppy whipped up.

Musically, I opened with a new intro featuring ASOL-concerned journalist John Herrman backed by KMFDM. I'm closing today with Mistle Thrush.

Tuesday, October 1, 2024

Episode 251: Let There Be Some Light

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In looking into sources of private propaganda, I am constantly struck on how far back it goes. Today I go back a hundred years to a time when the private electrical power industry was insisting on the title to this Episode 251: Let There Be Some Light.

In this episode, I read from: Jane Brox's book Brilliant: The Evolution of Artificial Light; Chuck Collins' book, The Wealth Hoarders: How Billionaires Pay Millions to Hide Trillions; Naomi Oreskes and Eric M. Conway's book, The Big Myth: How American Business Taught Us To Loathe Government and Love the Free Market; and an article from the magazine Home Power (issue #27, Feb/Mar 1992, p. 14, author Mike Sagrillo; sorry, I forgot to jot down the title of the article) on how those old home wind turbine and battery systems were put out of commission.

I play: the voice of D. L. Myers invoking the Powell Movement Stinger. Henry Giroux opens the show backed by KMFDM; and I close today with Julie & Rolf & The Campfire Gang doing "Over the Rainbow".

A quick note: I had several pics of advertising the wind turbines I mention at the close of the show. Not only are none of them live links (no surprise there) but a quick search for them has turned up bupkis. I am both perplexed… and conspiratorially minded to think that powered forces are out to erase that historic link. Maybe I should go to bed instead. If you turn up pics of these 1920s wind turbines, please drop a line in the comments below.