In light of US tech oligarchy setting its sights on Wikimedia Foundation, a historical detail I did not know before: #Wikipedia became the non-profit it is today partly as the result of a labour strike of Spanish Wikipedia editors who disagreed with the proposed inclusion of advertisements. Initially, it was not clear what revenue model Wikipedia would get, and Wales moved towards a for-profit model already a year after launch. However, rather than working for free, so Jimmy Wales could profit from their labour via advertising, Spanish contributors forked Spanish Wikipedia as the Encyclopedia Libre Universal. Under the threat of losing the editorial community of such a large language, Wales conceded and set up the non-profit.

That is to say, however imperfect they are, all the digital commons we have are the result of ongoing struggle and hard work to keep them as commons.

Via Las Redes Son Nuestras (https://www.consonni.org/es/publicaciones/las-redes-son-nuestras) by @teclista

Update with more info:
https://post.lurk.org/@rra/113873611500414068

Last August, Lynch (who had emphysema) said he might never direct again because of the "let it rip" covid unmitigation strategies adopted by governments everywhere.

Wondering how many mourners would willingly, and without prompting, wear a mask around people suffering from Long Covid, respiratory illnesses, or other immune dysfunction, out of respect for their struggle, instead of placing the entire burden on vulnerable disabled people.

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/david-lynch-age-movies-emphysema-smoking-b2591296.html

#DavidLynch

i found David Lynch's work in high school, and loving his films found me my first friends in film school. i even watched his daily weather report every day for the almost 3 years he was doing this. this feels close to home, like a star went out in my sky.

his family's note on his death:

It is with deep regret that we, his family, announce the passing of the man and the artist, David Lynch. We would appreciate some privacy at this time. There’s a big hole in the world now that he’s no longer with us. But, as he would say, “Keep your eye on the donut and not on the hole.”
It’s a beautiful day with golden sunshine and blue skies all the way.

📞 Exciting new (open access!) article from Jacob Bruggeman comparing "telephone enthusiasts" in the UK and phone #phreaking in the US. He argues compellingly that each contributed to a global movement of telco hackers.

Love this note about the availability of documentation: "To anyone paying close attention, the electronic keys to the telephone systems of both countries were ready for the taking."

🔗 Jacob A. Bruggeman, "Phreaking the U.K.", Interfaces, vol 6, 2025. https://cse.umn.edu/cbi/interfaces