“Social distancing” is actually not that big a change for me. #JokingNotJoking

Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (aka MBS) is a brutal tyrant, who has also implemented reforms, including expanded women’s rights and crippling the oppressive, conservative Saudi clergy.

But even for his reforms: Permission is not the same thing as freedom. Permissions granted by a tyrant can be taken away by the tyrant.

www.npr.org/2020/03/1…

Barbara Krasnoff: How to hide your messy room during a Zoom video conference

www.theverge.com/2020/3/11…

Another excuse for me to postpone cleaning up the mountain of empty Amazon boxes in my home office.

Um, thanks, Barbara?

Twitter 101: how to follow people and discover topics.

Should be headlined: “How To Tell Your @ From a Hole in the Ground.”

By me on The Verge (with a lot of work from my editor, Barbara Krasnoff - thanks!)

www.theverge.com/2020/3/12…

IBM says it’s number three in cloud sales, but analysts say nope. Not even close.

Interesting definitional disagreement on what “the cloud is.” Analysts say if it’s not like Amazon, it’s not the cloud.

www.itprotoday.com/hybrid-cl…

Cory Doctorow: “Senate Republicans have killed emergency sick leave legislation, a move that will force millions of low-waged cleaning and food-service workers to choose between homelessness and potentially spreading Covid-19.”

Billions for tax cuts for the rich, but when it comes to helping the poor, the GOP suddenly gets fiscal responsibility religion.

This is peak disaster capitalism. If employers are required to pay sick leave, they lose money. But if people get sick and die, the healthcare and funeral industries make bank.

pluralistic.net/2020/03/1…