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fromjason ("fromjason.xyz ❤️ 💻") wrote:

Favorite Podcast Episode 2025 (cont)

Listen:

iHeart Radio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/105-behind-the-bastards-29236323/episode/czm-rewind-the-zizians-how-harry-315159722/

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/behind-the-bastards/id1373812661)

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3v6AEaG9d5MmYJIi01vPIU

fromjason ("fromjason.xyz ❤️ 💻") wrote:

Favorite Podcast Episode 2025:

🏆 The Zizians: How Harry Potter Fanfic Inspired a Death Cult

Behind the Bastards

A shocking look into the world of cult-like subcultures of the Rationalists and the LessWrong forum in only the way that BtB can bring you. AI folklore is breeding cult leaders and followers. The Zizian Death Cult is the first to break through to the mainstream.

ChrisWere@toot.wales ("Chris Were ⁂🐧🌱☕") wrote:

#Freebooters and friends are live at https://live.freebooters.uk/

fromjason ("fromjason.xyz ❤️ 💻") wrote:

I kinda hate how AI has become the curator of my annual media consumption, telling me what I liked the most. Somehow, it's never a good reflection on what I truly enjoyed for the year.

So, I want to do a sort of tongue-in-cheek 2025 wrapped for myself. A human (me) curated list of the media I loved the most this year. Based on absolutely no definitive criteria other than my human emotions.

Boosted by baldur@toot.cafe ("Baldur Bjarnason"):
ZhiZhu@newsie.social ("Zhi Zhu 🕸️") wrote:

"I go to a lot of tech conferences — 13 in 2025...

the top non-tech topic for non-Americans involved the sweeping changes that have occurred since Donald J. Trump returned to office last January. The conversations generally ended with something like this: “I’m not taking a job or going to a conference in the United States.”

Honestly, who can blame them?"
https://www.computerworld.com/article/4110681/foreign-tech-workers-are-avoiding-travel-to-the-us.html

#Tech #Technology #Politics #DonaldTrump #Trump #USPol #News #Press #US #USA #America

fromjason ("fromjason.xyz ❤️ 💻") wrote:

A note to Norah: https://micro.fromjason.xyz/2025/12/31/a-note-to-norah.html

Boosted by baldur@toot.cafe ("Baldur Bjarnason"):
mhoye wrote:

I had no idea that Windows was doing fractal incremental feature rollouts now and it sounds like an absolute goddamn disaster for anyone who needs to support a senior with a computer.

I did not expect the year of linux on the desktop to happen because everyone else in the world started fucking up their own shit in catastrophic, undiagnosable, incomprehensible ways.

https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft/windows-11/2025-has-been-an-awful-year-for-windows-11-with-infuriating-bugs-and-constant-unwanted-features

fromjason ("fromjason.xyz ❤️ 💻") wrote:

When you get a little older, old enough to get nostalgic about your childhood, sometimes you come across a gifted book with an inscription. My mom and aunt bought me books all the time and left little messages in them that I didn't appreciate until I was in my twenties.

Isn't that the best feeling? I'm playing the long game.

fromjason ("fromjason.xyz ❤️ 💻") wrote:

Norah Grace,

Fill this book with your notes, writings, thoughts, ideas, drawings, prayers, hopes, dreams, love letters, poems, stories, conspiracy theories, illustrations, memories, goals, to-do lists, and all the things that make life great.

And when you fill this book to the very last page, remember that I, your uncle Jason, got the last word.

Merry Christmas
I love you,
Uncle Jason
Dec. 2025

Boosted by taral ("JP Sugarbroad"):
Lana@beige.party ("𝐿𝒶𝓃𝒶 "not yet begun to fight"") wrote:

We can't have this ⬇️
· $20 billion - ending homelessness
· $25 billion - eradicating hunger
· $79 billion - free college for all

Because we bought this instead ⬇️
· $40 billion - make Argentina great again
· $70 billion - Trump's personal Nazi ICE army
· $318 billion - Israeli genocide
· $620 billion - Pentagon contract for Don Jr
· $2.21 trillion - US military
· $4.5 trillion - billionaire tax breaks

NfNitLoop ("Cody Casterline 🏳️‍🌈") wrote:

Me every time I get a PR that smells of AI codegen.

Gargron ("Eugen Rochko") wrote:

Updated my portfolio with some previously missing photos, and removed some that didn't seem as good as I originally thought.

https://eugenrochko.com

#BelieveInFilm #FilmPhotography

ChrisWere@toot.wales ("Chris Were ⁂🐧🌱☕") wrote:

2025 was a pretty good year for me in general. Had its up and downs, but many more ups than downs. And I'm glad to be ending the year on a high. Much love to @rosie_108 who has been the one who made 2025 as good as it was for me.

Also a shout out to @uoou @hamishtpb and the #Freebooters folks. It's been a joy spending the year with you.

Boosted by jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein"):
openculture@toot.community ("Open Culture (Official)") wrote:

The Mystery of How a Samurai Ended up in 17th Century Venice

https://www.openculture.com/2025/12/the-mystery-of-how-a-samurai-ended-up-in-17th-century-venice.html

Boosted by jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein"):
primonatura@mstdn.social ("Primo Natura") wrote:

"Year-end ‘good news’ as flat-headed cats reappear in Thailand after 29-year absence"

#Thailand #Animals

https://news.mongabay.com/2025/12/year-end-good-news-as-flat-headed-cats-reappear-in-thailand-after-29-year-absence/

Boosted by jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein"):
GossiTheDog@cyberplace.social ("Kevin Beaumont") wrote:

Just played an Arc Raiders game with somebody where I extracted early and watched him play.

He was incredible.

Knew exactly what he was doing. 360 no scope skills.

He did the full round, cleared the secret bunker solo, got to the extract point with a minute to spare.

As he was typing the final extraction command, a Rocketer one shot him out of the elevator as it closed, leaving him no time to extract.

"I delete this game" he said and quit. Man, it was so sad... and so, so funny.

Boosted by jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein"):
ayoli@diaspodon.fr ("☆✭★ คץ☠️ɭเ xD ★✭☆") wrote:

Matin 👋

#caféAnimé

Attachments:

• video: Un homme fait tout un tas d’acrobaties avec des barres de jeux d'enfants, des rambardes, une chaise

Boosted by jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein"):
IveyJanette ("Ivey Janette McClelland") wrote:

Iowa.

#blackmastodon
https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2025-12-30/democrat-renee-hardman-wins-iowa-state-senate-seat-blocking-gop-from-reclaiming-supermajority

Boosted by jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein"):
markarayner@mas.to ("Mark A. Rayner") wrote:

Me, having a super-productive week between Christmas and New Year's.

#cat #cats #catstodon #catsofmastodon #humor #humour #newyear #newyearseve

Attachments:

• gifv: a white cat with a bit of toilet paper in its mouth sitting on the toilet and unspooling a roll of toilet paper with goblin aplomb

Boosted by jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein"):
thetnholler.bsky.social@bsky.brid.gy ("The Tennessee Holler ") wrote:

😕

Boosted by jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein"):
Barbramon1@mas.to ("Barbara Monaco") wrote:

As of January 1, 2026 US citizens over the age of 16 must show government issued photo ID to enter 11 major national parks. Without an ID they will pay a $100 surcharge as well as the entrance fee, and a pass will cost $250.
#nationalparks fee.https://www.thetravel.com/nps-new-id-rule-means-americans-may-pay-international-visitor-fees-up-to-250-usd-to-visit-national-parks/

Boosted by jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein"):
kevinrothrock@infosec.exchange ("Kevin Rothrock") wrote:

good lord, it's a feast at the NYT today for Russia watchers

Boosted by jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein"):
obtener@mastodon.world ("Georgiann Baldino") wrote:

"Trump used his veto power this week...rejecting a pair of bipartisan bills designed to make it easier to build a water pipeline in Colorado and give a Native American tribe more control over a portion of the Everglades.
"...The bills had backers in both parties, and they passed the House and Senate through voice votes. Both houses of Congress would need to pass the bills again by a two-thirds margin to override the president's veto."

CBS https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/trump-issues-first-vetoes-term-031652243.html
#ClimateCrisis

Boosted by jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein"):
servelan@newsie.social ("Servelan") wrote:

"Epstein allegedly helped Trump escape more than $1 billion in debt in the early 1990s by engineering loan forgiveness and then a way to avoid paying taxes on it. [F]orgiven debt normally counts as taxable income, but Epstein advised Trump on a loophole that kept the IRS at bay, and Epstein later suggested was a key reason Trump’s returns have remained hidden."

Trump biographer ties Epstein deal to why Trump continues to conceal his tax returns - Raw Story

https://www.rawstory.com/taxes/

Boosted by ChrisWere@toot.wales ("Chris Were ⁂🐧🌱☕"):
benrob0329@dice.camp ("Benrob0329") wrote:

So there was an interesting thread on the AntennaPod issue tracker about integrating some kind of sponsorblock type ad skipping for podcasts, and one of the arguments against it was wanting to support creators and being afraid of them going only to locked platforms like Spotify.

But, like, whether or not I hear the ad makes no difference to them? The ad companies can't tell when it's a local file, and I purposefully never use ad codes or click through.

Do people actually shop through ads?

Boosted by jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein"):
molly0xfff@hachyderm.io ("Molly White") wrote:

please address any concerns about late newsletters to the office manager

Boosted by jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein"):
gwynnion ("Nowhere Girl") wrote:

They were in the living room when they first heard the clicking noise.

Tybalt stopped. "What is that?"

Everybody thought it was something different. The house creaking, an animal in the walls, or maybe a rattlesnake.

"There aren't any rattlesnakes around here," Aziza said.

"The Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake," Medea replied, "The only venomous snake in the region. It grows up to 40 inches long."

Aziza looked like she would have preferred not to learn that information.

#writing

Boosted by jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein"):
oldrawgabbit@mastodon.world ("Trillian ✅✝️ 🇬🇧👍") wrote:

So THAT's where it went!

Boosted by jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein"):
orrickle@sfba.social ("Orrock LXXXVI XLVII") wrote:

From #joycevance The government represented to the court that the decision to prosecute Abrego Garcia was made locally, disconnected from his effort to enforce his constitutional rights and challenge his deportation. Their own emails appear to contradict that assertion. The government will still have the opportunity to come forward and explain away the presumption of vindictiveness. I’ve seen a number of cases during my 25 years at DOJ where a defendant argued vindictiveness. In every case, the government explained why the prosecution was legitimate, and in every case, it prevailed. I’ve never seen a case where the government made representations to a judge that were refuted by its own internal communications. It’s exceptionally unusual for prosecutors to have to take the witness stand to defend their own conduct. But Abrego Garcia’s case, which has been highly irregular from the start, may well be the one where that happens. 🧵

jsonstein@masto.deoan.org ("Jeff Sonstein") wrote:

"“He screamed at me that I was supposed to give him at least one son because I killed his first one.”"
https://universeodon.com/@georgetakei/115815128265580664