Mastodawn

Shit like this always reminds me of the computers made from "laminated mouse brains" in Cordwainer Smith's science fiction stories.
https://www.theguardian.com/games/2026/mar/16/petri-dish-brain-cells-playing-doom-cortical-labs

A petri dish of human brain cells is currently playing Doom. Should we be worried?

Scientists in the US have uploaded a fruit fly to a computer simulation, while an Australian lab has taught neurons on a glass chip to play a 90s video game. How long before we are all living in a sci-fi movie?

The Guardian

Kassie Withakay 🏳️‍⚧️11h ago

Since the #TransRightsReadathon is going on, I wrote about the latest novel from @charliejane.bsky.social, "Lessons in Magic and Disaster"
https://such-small-portions.ghost.io/the-first-rule-of-witch-club/

The First Rule of Witch Club...

"Lessons in Magic and Disaster" by Charlie Jane Anders, a review.

Such Small Portions

Kassie Withakay 🏳️‍⚧️20h ago

Time to make the biscuits. #caturday

Kassie Withakay 🏳️‍⚧️2d ago

Kids do the capriciousest things.
https://youtu.be/-N_RZJUAQY4?si=jFgVK0RHRVxOqGFW

A two-year-old's solution to the trolley problem

YouTube

Kassie Withakay 🏳️‍⚧️4d ago

The Trans Readathon auction for Point of Pride is happening now through March 31! Check out items up for bid at the link. #TransRightsReadathon
https://www.32auctions.com/organizations/136353/auctions/196353?r=1&t=all

Trans Rights Readathon Auction for Point of Pride

Silent auction 'Trans Rights Readathon Auction for Point of Pride' hosted online at 32auctions.

32auctions

Kassie Withakay 🏳️‍⚧️5d ago

Republicans are planning a major push this week to pass their ugly voter suppression bill. It will, among other things, disenfranchise millions of Americans who do not have passports or birth certificates matching their legal names. Please tell your Senators to vote NO.
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5783688-senate-floor-takeover-save-america-act/amp/

Trump allies plan Senate floor takeover to pass SAVE America Act

President Trump’s allies are planning to take over the Senate floor this week in a bid to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE America) Act, setting up a major test for Senate Majori…

The Hill

Kassie Withakay 🏳️‍⚧️Mar 14

Saw "The Bride!" today before it vanishes from theaters. It's gotten some poor reviews, but I really enjoyed it.!
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt30851137/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_1_tt_7_nm_0_in_0_q_The%20Bride

Kassie Withakay 🏳️‍⚧️Mar 13

The Normative Mask

How the Supreme Court and the Federal Judiciary Built a Dual State for Trans Erasure On May 6, 2025, the Supreme Court of the United States lifted a nationwide injunction blocking the Trump administration from discharging every openly transgender service member in the United States military.[1] The Court issued

The Dissident

Kassie Withakay 🏳️‍⚧️Mar 12

Brilliant essay by @esqueer.net. We need to hold onto our anger if we are to survive.
https://www.thedissident.news/exit-condition/

Exit Condition

On Alderson Loops, Billionaire Cruelty, and Living Inside the Trap “Pessimism of the intellect, optimism of the will.” — Antonio Gramsci, Prison Notebooks[1] I. The Loop In computer science, there is a structure called an Alderson loop.[2] It is a program that appears to have an exit condition—a

The Dissident

Show thread

Kassie Withakay 🏳️‍⚧️Mar 9

March 11 or by contacting your State representatives using services like @resistbot.

Links:
Letter Portal: https://calegislation.lc.ca.gov/Advocates/
AB-1540 text: https://legiscan.com/CA/text/AB1540/2025
AB-1876 text: https://legiscan.com/CA/text/AB1876/2025
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