When people ask me why I live in Italy, to the (probable) detriment of my career, I explain that, if I were to move to, say, the SF Bay Area, I would require an extra zero on the painful end of my salary just to break even in quality of life. Happy to visit whenever, but live there? Nah.

Hi from Old Europe. Wherever you draw the line, someone will pop up to “well, actually” you — and they will have historical sources. There is no universally-acceptable line, so you have to offer something beyond that. Live your life such that people will not line up to tear you down, mmmkay?

Back at you with “Peaches come from a can”

Italy is rearming. The government says it’s to support Ukraine, but actually, in a bunker below Naples*, plans are readied for Operazione Pizza Pulita. The first strikes will be on Detroit and Chicago, but this abomination just shot up the list.

* Yes, Italy even has the best secret volcano lairs

His only misses in the Sprawl series were the dot-matrix printer in the space yacht and the continued ubiquity of printed media, such that you could grab some at random to protect yourself from rain. And the latter could still be a re-introduction, as in The Diamond Age (also recommended).

My plan for when I become God-Emperor of the World is to re-open my city’s tram and suburban rail network, which even included cargo trams. That, and public floggings for people playing audio without headphones on said network.

Every accusation is a confession, chapter FAR TOO MANY PLEASE STOP we really don’t want to know any more

Okay, I had to look up videos of people doing this, and now I am shocked that people still have any of their fingers at all. 😳 That is the most terrifying combination of ingredient and utensil I have ever seen!

I hear this a lot and I don’t get it. How are people slicing their avos? Or are they eating them all unripe and rock-hard? I don’t even eat them regularly, but I make avos on toast for SWMBO most mornings. I use a round-tip slightly serrated knife; does the job, no danger to me. 🤷‍♂️

Knowing what the demand is, though, means that the supply is not morally neutral.

I’m looking forward to insurers denying coverage for AI cock-ups: findthethread.blog/Artificial-I... If this is the cudgel the AI industry needs to be beaten with to get some actual professional standards, then so be it.