Brian Beach @bwbeach@social.cleverlibre.org

For me, right to to repair isn't just about ewaste, and preventing corporate gouging.

It's about mental health. Being able to fix your gadgets is therapeutic. Empowering. Good for the soul.

In a world full of complex technology it's easy to feel small and helpless. And maybe I'm too much of an idealist, but I think that if everyone could experience the joy of fixing or modifying a gadget now and then we'd all be a little more open minded, a little more daring. A little harder to push around.

I can’t believe how old people my age are.

I'm giving a virtual seminar at Columbia University on Monday Oct 2.

They let me choose what I wanted to talk about (mistake!), so...

I'll be talking about why AI should play Dungeons and Dragons

Open to the public, register here:
https://www.bme.columbia.edu/cu-arl-seminar-series-human-guided-machine-learning

Seems weird that Americans obsess over free speech but have no concept of freedom for listeners.

RT @jme_pew Turns out “microplastics” isn’t descriptive enough. We should be panicking about *tire dust.*

“Seventy-eight percent of ocean microplastics are synthetic tire rubber, according to a report by the Pew Charitable Trust.”

https://e360.yale.edu/features/tire-pollution-toxic-chemicals

So today @Teri_Kanefield put up an analysis of the problematic legal issues surrounding a gag order for Trump >>> https://law-and-politics.online/@Teri_Kanefield/111133028862927449

Rather than learn from Ms. Kanefield's vast expertise in these matters, some responses gave vent to their anger against Trump by accusing her of taking his side etc.

Listen up. Mastodon is not a cheering squad. Most of us value honest in-depth facts, even if uncomfortable, and we treasure those who contribute their time and expertise to keeping us informed.

I want a city builder where you start with a super dense car-ridden city and you have the challenge to build in green spaces and public transit and stuff to increase the happiness of the residents.

FCC announces plans to reinstate net neutrality

After a long, long battle ending in eventual defeat during Trump’s presidency, the FCC is set to reinstate rules that broadband providers must treat all traffic equally, giving no sweetheart deals to business partners or their own services.

https://techcrunch.com/2023/09/26/fcc-announces-plans-to-reinstate-net-neutrality/

I reviewed Heather Cox Richardson’s new book for @washingtonpost.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/2023/09/25/heather-cox-richardson-substack-review/

Judy Locklear Stephens, nurse, Crowne Healthcare, Fort Payne, Alabama, died of Covid-19 in 2020. She was kind and caring, and treated her patients like family. Her colleagues carried her casket. We lost so many talented, brilliant, caring doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals during this global pandemic. Honor them by getting your vaccine booster and remaining vigilant. #HealthcareHeroes #COVID19

NASA Battery Tech to Deliver for the Grid

A battery built for satellites brings grid-scale storage down to Earth

https://spectrum.ieee.org/grid-scale-battery-storage-nickel-hydrogen

Preikestolen in Norway #Photography #SilentSunday #Nature #Cliff #Mountains #Sunrise #Calm #Landscape

#東京カメラ部
#tokyocameraclub

Yup, this tracks. https://xkcd.com/2832/

It took me a while to get there, but I’m pretty much full on “war on cars” at this point.

One thing I miss from back when Sears was a going concern was that you could always get reliable exploded diagrams and part numbers, not just for when you needed to fix things, but for confidence in things like build quality and part choices for your own good.

I was trying to recommend a coffee grinder to somebody just now. I stopped recommending Breville when my own stopped working, and I discovered a worn-down impeller - made of plastic, wearing down _into my goddamn coffee_ - was at fault.

I just had to update my numbers for a lecture, so here's your periodic reminder: Starlink is now 55% of ALL active satellites in orbit.

And given the recent news about that awful billionaire unilaterally deciding to cut of internet access to parts of the world whenever he decides to, this is extra important to share. Why did our governments effectively gift Low Earth Orbit to one awful dude? This is so bad.

I eat them at all stages. #food

This is the key thing:

"Adults 18 years and older without health insurance and adults whose health insurance does not cover all COVID-19 vaccine costs can get updated COVID-19 vaccines at no cost through the Bridge Access Program."

(from https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/programs/bridge/index.html)

If you have trouble at a US Walgreens or CVS, I would start with that page and quote.