Massive love out to @kentbeck . You are an inspiration and so much of what I believe about #programming comes from your work.

https://tidyfirst.substack.com/p/parkinsons

#extremeprogramming #XP

RE: https://wandering.shop/@cstross/116419007267849119

I keep trying new ways to get people to read Charles Stross novels.

But I keep coming back to "he's one of the few writers who can really think through the interplay between politics, technology, and culture. Also, he writes women-as-people."

It's a pontiff-icating DORK TOWER FRIDAY! Theological new strip up now at the Mothership:

https://www.dorktower.com/2026/04/15/pope/

Repost/reblog/repeat (and three "Hail Marys" while you're at it.) Please and thenk yew!

The concept of a rotating villain is so funny to me. The best example is the U.S. House of Representatives where one Democrat sacrifices themselves to vote in line with the Republican party, so that all other Democrats can claim they were trying their best to do the right thing, yet in reality are just as complicit. That one Democrat always changes (rotates) so that the blame is spread equally and no particular Democratic representative makes their hands too dirty.

The latest instance of this happening was the House's resolution to stop Trump's war with Iran, where 213 voted to stop it and 214 voted to continue the war. One Democrat, Jared Golden, voted to let Trump keep waging the war. He was today's rotating villain, yet will soon vanish from the spotlight when it's his colleagues' turn to be evil.

It's a genius strategy and doesn't really work the other way around! You can't really have a rotating hero, as your corporate sponsors will simply stop funding you if you pull stunts like this, yet in a two-party state, the people in your voting district are forced to keep electing you, after all, there's no alternative except for the planned opposition.