Mastodawn

Shifting baseline syndrome ( #SBS ) is what happens when we forget how vibrant the natural world used to be. Each generation grows up with a more depleted environment and calls it “normal,” simply because it’s all they’ve ever known.

Researchers warn that this shift lowers our expectations, increases our tolerance for decline, and reduces our urgency to protect what’s left.

#climatechange #climate #timeisup #theworstisyettocome

Mark Apr 29

nixCraft 🐧Apr 28

The AI automation arms race layoff trap:

1 Competitive pressure pushes firms to automate using AI more than needed for market

2 Now jobless workers can't buy products/services, harming both labor & firm owners

3 Suggested solution by AI companies like UBI/upskilling/lower wages cannot stop the AI doom cycle

The study concludes that only a Pigouvian automation tax can fix the problem. Policy makers must address the competitive drive to automate, not just the post AI fallout afterward

Mark Apr 29

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nixCraft 🐧Apr 28

Full link is here https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.20617

It is worth reading as this study comes from the field of theoretical economics. This is what top AI scientists are actually saying. If you want to study the impact of AI on job market and ecomomy, listen to the economists instead of Elon, Sama, or Dario. They are here to sell AI, even if it leads to total economic doom.

The AI Layoff Trap

If AI displaces human workers faster than the economy can reabsorb them, it risks eroding the very consumer demand firms depend on. We show that knowing this is not enough for firms to stop it. In a competitive task-based model, demand externalities trap rational firms in an automation arms race, displacing workers well beyond what is collectively optimal. The resulting loss harms both workers and firm owners. More competition and "better" AI amplify the excess; wage adjustments and free entry cannot eliminate it. Neither can capital income taxes, worker equity participation, universal basic income, upskilling, or Coasian bargaining. Only a Pigouvian automation tax can. The results suggest that policy should address not only the aftermath of AI labor displacement but also the competitive incentives that drive it.

arXiv.org

Mark Apr 15

https://www.climate200.com.au/the-fair-elections-case

The local SA version of the election donation reform laws (slanted in favour of major parties) has already been knocked out by High Court
Would like some revision at a federal level too.

See: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WWIO8AiwZSM
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6tXjkYkDG0A

https://theconversation.com/high-court-takes-an-axe-to-victorias-political-donations-laws-and-it-will-make-federal-mps-nervous-280713

The Fair Elections Case | High Court Challenge

The major parties have re-written the rules to rig elections in their favour. But Zoe Daniel and Rex Patrick are fighting back, all the way to the High Court.

Mark Apr 5

IT Omar 😷 🔜 PaxU Jun 26, 2023

This is someting I wish I'd realized a lot sooner in life.

Mark Mar 26

Bellingcat Mar 26

The US appears to have deployed the Gator Scatterable Mine system over Kafari, a village near Shiraz, in southern Iran overnight. At least two people were killed according to local reports. https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2026/03/26/us-iran-mines-israel-village-missile-munitions-weapons-war-conflict/?utm_source=mastodon

Evidence Points to US Scattering Mines over Iranian Village - bellingcat

US appears to have deployed the Gator Scatterable Mine system over Kafari, a village near Shiraz, Iran.

bellingcat

Mark Feb 28

AJ Sadauskas Feb 28

@emmadavidson @ajsadauskas You totally should take your kids to the local library to pick out some DVDs to watch 😁

And a big upside of borrowing DVDs from a library, compared to VideoEZY and the like back in the day, is the lending limits.

In the case of Parra Library, you can borrow up to 40 items for up to three weeks. And as long as no-one else places a hold, you can have up to two renewals.

I'd assume it'd be roughly similar at other local libraries.

All for the cost of free.

A decent DVD player costs ~$50 or ~$150 for BluRay.

So even if you don't have a DVD player anymore, it works out cheaper than streaming after a month or two...

Mark Feb 14

AJ Sadauskas Feb 14

Some bad news for Australia's only member-owned electricity co-op, Cooperative Power.

Cooperative Power was set up by Friends of the Earth Melbourne, in partnership with a range of trade unions and non-profits.

The idea is that you pay a monthly membership fee to cover the co-op's running costs. In exchange you get co-ownership in the co-op, and get to buy power at wholesale price.

It also supports its members moving to renewables.

More background info about the co-op here: https://www.cooperativepower.org.au/about-us/

The wholesale power was supplied by an independent energy company called Energy Locals.

Unfortunately, Origin Energy was allowed to buy out Energy Locals, further consolidating the industry into a smaller corporate oligopoly.

Here's the statement:

"We, CoPower, are dismayed that Origin Energy has acquired Energy Locals (our energy partner that allows us to sell electricity).

"Because of this acquisition of our energy partner, we are urgently in pursuit of a new energy partner that shares our values and with which we will launch a bigger, better and more resilient CoPower 2.0. This month we are opening a tender for a new white-label product partnership.

"Please note: your energy supply will not be interrupted or changed.

"As with everything we do, it’s thanks to you and the thousands of our customer members who have joined together through our cooperative to stand up for fair energy, climate justice and a member-owned and run alternative to for-profit electricity companies. Thank you for your ongoing trust in us and in our common mission.

"The good news is that if you do nothing you will stay with CoPower and the revenue from being with us will go to help create CoPower 2.0. This support will help us make CoPower 2.0 bigger, better and more resilient and to maintain our fight for fair energy for the benefit of people and the planet, which is more important now than ever.

"We are asking you, our community, to pledge your support and help us build momentum for CoPower 2.0 and show that you support us, our values and mission of fighting to take the power back for fair energy that benefits people and planet."

https://www.cooperativepower.org.au/take-our-pledge-mobile/

#auspol #capitalism #Australia #cooperative #cooperatives #coops #coop

Mark Feb 14