lobster @Lobster@qoto.org

@pwinn
The term "financialization" is a euphemism. The problem you are addressing is simply caused by individuals who own the means of production and demand the highest net profits possible. That means reducing expenses wherever possible (including government deregulation and reduced taxes) and increasing revenues wherever possible (including price increases, non-competitive action, and use of the legal system).

I've been trying to think of a way to describe how America generally enshittifies everything over time in ways that other countries don't, despite other countries also being capitalist. If our economic problems are caused by "capitalism," then why are we nearly alone in experiencing them? How is capitalism making China better but the USA worse?

I think I'm circling "financialization" as a universal descriptor.

I've often ranted against private equity specifically, but in quite times I have to admit that there are good and bad PE firms. The legal and cultural incentives are aligned against the good ones, but they do exist. I think most of our problems are caused specifically by private equity firms financializing everything, but sometimes the call is coming from inside the house. For example, I don't think Boeing's current woes are PE-caused. They put MBAs in charge, and those MBAs financialized the company, leading to enshittification.

I have nothing against people with MBA degrees. I just don't think they should be in charge.

With Tim Cook in charge of Apple, his tendency to financialize things is pushing out Apple's long history of good stuff in ways that taint Apple and make me glad governments are digging in. It seems like the company has been in tension between good engineering and design on one side, and Tim Cook insisting that Services revenue grow on the other side, and Cook is CEO, so that side is winning.

Financialization. I'm not sure where I first picked up the word, but a search of Cory Doctorow's site tells me he's used it quite a bit, so possibly there, or possibly the book "These Are the Looters," which I--well, enjoyed isn't the word--appreciated recently.

I''m but one quiet voice, feeling slightly uncomfortable as people push for changes to the status quo I think are slightly too radical. I think of myself as a progressive but not a revolutionary, and I think labeling "capitalism" as inherently evil isn't productive.

Our economic problems in the USA aren't caused by “capitalism,” no matter how many times people say they are. As evidence, see other capitalistic countries not having the same problems. They're caused by financialization, relentlessly making finance the ultimate arbiter of everything. That's not uniquely an American issue, but it's run amok here like nowhere else, and it has ruined, is ruining, or will ruin everything you enjoy about capitalism unless it is stopped.

#blog #capitalism
#enshittification #financialization #apple #boeing

Which would you rather, the latest iPhone or a livable planet?

Which would you rather, the latest iPhone or a livable planet?

#PeerTube 6.0.4 released

It fixes a security issue affecting all PeerTube versions <= 6.0.3.

Please upgrade as soon as possible :)

1/4 🚨Belgian Presidency of the Council of European Union's new #CSAR proposal is rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.

The new approach suggests a number of harmful & privacy-eroding ‘solutions’. Once again putting people's digital safety at risk.🤐

Read more from @ella @je5perl https://edri.org/our-work/rearranging-deck-chairs-on-the-titanic-belgiums-latest-move-doesnt-solve-critical-issues-with-eu-csa-regulation/

After a century of culverts under roads posing an often insurmountable barrier to migratory fish, programs to replace them are underway across the US. Culvert replacement fundamentally reconnects land and sea. #ShareGoodNewsToo https://fixthenews.com/r/96ca3fdb?m=d62c57a4-125a-4b9d-b04d-bdfd23b8627c

I think we're approaching this collective brainstorming all wrong. We're not going to solve the xz problem by throwing pennies at burnt out over worked hobby maintainers or by making them jump through extra bureaucratic hoops in the name of security theater. There's only one reasonable solution here and it's to turn maintaining critical open source projects into REALITY TELEVISION.

Rich, juicy “Blood Orange” citrus colours. It’s a vibrant UV reactive bright that’s perfect for spring and summer. It would make the most amazing contrast with “Leafy” - just imagine fresh fruit in a green tree!
MothyAndTheSquid.com
#mothyandthesquid #yarn #knitting #crochet

There are chicks hatching in the incubator! There are V's of geese migrating overhead! It's supposed to be in the double digit (celsius) temps today!

Spring is exploding and I'm *so excited*!!!

Scientists in Amsterdam have successfully eliminated HIV from infected cells in the lab using CRISPR. This is a proof of concept of what could be a revolution in HIV treatment. #ShareGoodNewsToo https://fixthenews.com/r/722e6175?m=d62c57a4-125a-4b9d-b04d-bdfd23b8627c

Some dainty looking flowers found growing in a hard core place on some rocks by the ocean

First chickies!!

So far just 4. Hopefully a few more tomorrow?

After a long wait, it's finally here. FreeTube now supports user created playlists! The new v0.20.0 release has dropped and comes with a plethora of new changes along with the new playlists functionality.

You can check out the full release notes over on GitHub. You can download the new release over on our website.

https://github.com/FreeTubeApp/FreeTube/discussions/4848

https://freetubeapp.io/#download

#freetube #privacy #opensource

Can we humans work together to solve collective problems? Climate change is a huge problem, but slow moving. The AI sludge filling the internet is faster moving, and easier to see. Will we do anything about it?

This NYT article (gift link) reviews things I already knew, but in a way that makes it clear just how bad things are getting.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/29/opinion/ai-internet-x-youtube.html?unlocked_article_code=1.g00.n5tA.OpPpHuUiB7qo&smid=url-share

Today we're releasing #LibreOffice 24.2.2, the second update to our new 24.2 branch (with "year.month" version scheme). We've also updated the previous and older LibreOffice 7.6 branch too: https://blog.documentfoundation.org/blog/2024/03/28/libreoffice-24-2-2-and-7-6-6-community/ #foss #opensource #news