@funcrunch@me.dm

· 2mo ago

Replying to

Thanks to @404mediaco@mastodon.social for timely coverage of the @wikimediafoundation@wikimedia.social response on #union recognition. https://www.404media.co/wikimedia-waits-until-after-its-massive-conference-to-say-it-wont-voluntarily-recognize-union/#Wikipedia

Wikimedia Will Not Voluntarily Recognize Union a Supermajority of Its Workers Want

404 Media

Wikimedia Will Not Voluntarily Recognize Union a Supermajority of Its Workers Want

The Wikimedia Foundation waited until immediately after its largest annual conference to say it wouldn't voluntarily recognize its workers' union.

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Pax Ahimsa Gethen @funcrunch@me.dm

· 2mo ago

RE: https://mastodon.social/@404mediaco/116970365105957725

On the one hand, I'm annoyed that as a #Patreon creator I'm reading important announcements from them on @404mediaco@mastodon.social before I hear it from the platform itself.

On the other hand, this is another confirmation that my subscription to 404 Media is well worth the money.

Mastodon

404 Media (@404mediaco@mastodon.social)

In an internal email shared with creators, CEO Jack Conte wrote that AI doesn’t replace human creativity — but it does affect how the company operates. https://www.404media.co/patreon-lays-off-20-percent-of-its-workforce/

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Pax Ahimsa Gethen @funcrunch@me.dm

· 2mo ago

Happy to see Britta Gustafson aka Dreamyshade get a Wikimedian of the Year Laureate award at #Wikimania. I took the photo of her that was featured on the screen!

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bay_Area_WikiSalon_Feb_2017_20170222-2065.jpg

commons.wikimedia.org

File:Bay Area WikiSalon Feb 2017 20170222-2065.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

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Pax Ahimsa Gethen @funcrunch@me.dm

· 3mo ago

Replying to

@NanoRaptor@bitbang.social I made a proposal to protect user pages on @wikipedia@wikis.world by default to help combat harassment. It was implemented in 2016. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Wikipedia_Signpost/2016-12-22/In_focus #Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2016-12-22/In focus - Wikipedia

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Pax Ahimsa Gethen @funcrunch@me.dm

· 3mo ago

Replying to

@timbray@cosocial.ca - Well-said. I've left all other social media,* though I do bridge my Mastodon posts to Bluesky.

Except (the enshittified) LinkedIn, if that counts.

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Pax Ahimsa Gethen @funcrunch@me.dm

· 5mo ago

Replying to

In apps I use that offer #AI "assistance", I turn it off to the degree that the settings allow. I never look at Google's AI "overview" (and prefer searching with DuckDuckGo anyway). I'm human, I learned how to read, write, and think for myself. I hope I'm not a dying breed.

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Pax Ahimsa Gethen @funcrunch@me.dm

· 5mo ago

Replying to

I was chatting with some folks about #AI bots yesterday and said that I avoid using them. One said "Not even Grammarly?" I said no, and informed them of their (now-discontinued) "Expert Review" that appropriated the names of authors without consent. https://www.wired.com/story/grammarly-is-offering-expert-ai-reviews-from-your-favorite-authors-dead-or-alive/ I wasn't using this tool even before this news broke, however. I do use spellcheck, but that's been around for decades and I don't think it can seriously be considered "AI". #LLM

WIRED

Grammarly Is Offering ‘Expert’ AI Reviews From Your Favorite Authors—Dead or Alive

The tool, offered by the recently-rebranded company Superhuman, gives feedback based on the work of famous dead and living writers—without their permission.

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Pax Ahimsa Gethen @funcrunch@me.dm

· 2mo ago

Replying to

More context on the demand for #union recognition, which was requested by Friday but delayed (per the WMF) due to Wikimania: https://www.kqed.org/news/12092335/staff-of-san-francisco-based-wikipedia-demand-union-recognition-raise-concerns-over-ai #Wikipedia

kqed.org

Staff at the San Francisco-Based Foundation Behind Wikipedia Demand Union Recognition | KQED

Workers said they want more of a say in how the Bay Area-based foundation behind the world’s largest encyclopedia uses artificial intelligence.

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Pax Ahimsa Gethen @funcrunch@me.dm

· 3mo ago

Replying to

@AncTreat5358@lgbtqia.space @Natasha_Jay@tech.lgbt As a fellow queer agender atheist, I agree.

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Pax Ahimsa Gethen @funcrunch@me.dm

· 2mo ago

Replying to

Thanks to everyone who boosted my job-seeking post, though I've yet to get any leads, paid supporters, or tips. I'd really prefer a regular schedule over freelancing at this point, but I can't work more than 32 hrs/week, maximum. https://www.linkedin.com/in/funcrunch/#FediHire

linkedin.com

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Pax Ahimsa Gethen @funcrunch@me.dm

· 5mo ago

Replying to

Next 20 #books on The Guardian's 100 Best #Novels list are out. Of these the one I'm positive I've read (and more than once) is Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka. Available on @gutenberg_org@mastodon.social : https://gutenberg.org/ebooks/5200

Project Gutenberg

Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka

Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka. Free eBook digitized and proofread by volunteers.

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Pax Ahimsa Gethen @funcrunch@me.dm

· 5mo ago

RE: https://mastodon.social/@emanuelmaiberg/116567606519577916

"It's like when we got cellphones and stopped remembering phone numbers, but it's grown to me mentally outsourcing ‘thinking’ in general."

#AI #VibeCoding

mastodon.social

Emanuel Maiberg: "Google, Microsoft, and Meta brag about how most o…" - Mastodon

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Pax Ahimsa Gethen @funcrunch@me.dm

· 5mo ago

Replying to

I appreciate that @19thnews@flipboard.com article on #PMOS (renamed from #PCOS) specifically mentions that #trans men and #nonbinary people, as well as women, are susceptible to this disorder. https://19thnews.org/2026/05/pcos-polycystic-ovary-syndrome-renamed-pmos/

The 19th

Polycystic ovary syndrome, also known as PCOS, has a new name

Polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, formerly known as polycystic ovary syndrome, impacts about 1 in 8 people assigned female at birth.

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Pax Ahimsa Gethen @funcrunch@me.dm

· 4mo ago

Replying to

Thanks to this article on the passing of Kiara St. James in the Gay City News, I was able to nominate her #Wikipedia article for inclusion in the Recent Deaths section of the home page. It got posted there today. https://gaycitynews.com/kiara-st-james-nytag-dies-trans-community-mourns/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiara_St._James

Trans community mourns loss of NYTAG executive director Kiara St. James

Gay City News

Trans community mourns loss of NYTAG executive director Kiara St. James

New York Transgender Advocacy Group (NYTAG) co-founder and executive director Kiara St. James, one of the driving forces behind the passage of the Gender

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Pax Ahimsa Gethen @funcrunch@me.dm

· 5mo ago

Replying to

Note that thus far I can only find posts about the death of Kiara St. James on social media. If anyone finds or can write a news story about her, I'd like to add it to Wikipedia. (cc @wmlgbt@tech.lgbt)

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Pax Ahimsa Gethen @funcrunch@me.dm

· 5mo ago

Replying to

@knowprose@mastodon.social @medium@me.dm Could you clarify what you meant by "grammar and others"? P.S. I love this line in your bio: "I like being wrong because it means I learned something."

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Pax Ahimsa Gethen @funcrunch@me.dm

· 4mo ago

Replying to

@Elindur@retro.pizza

I am a native of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood itself, Pittsburgh PA, and am a big fan of his.* But FWIW, I don't think they've announced that they're uploading every episode of the show on YouTube, just selected episodes and highlights.

As I just wrote about after the recent passing of Joe "Handyman" Negri: https://funcrunch.medium.com/my-musical-pittsburgh-childhood-2763abee03f5?sk=1897fd524b52c43feeeb5b79f82d9a88

Medium

My Musical Pittsburgh Childhood

In memory of Joe Negri

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Pax Ahimsa Gethen @funcrunch@me.dm

· 4mo ago

Replying to

@timnitGebru@dair-community.social As I posted in reply to another thread on the "Magnifica humanitas", I continue to question how any self-described progressives can stay with an institution as oppressive as the Catholic Church. https://funcrunch.medium.com/progressive-catholics-please-explain-yourselves-1ec9adc4fc67?sk=cdaa9645e434596425093f277467546d

Medium

Progressive Catholics, Please Explain Yourselves

I genuinely want to understand why you stay with an oppressive institution.

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Pax Ahimsa Gethen @funcrunch@me.dm

· 5mo ago

Replying to

Of the next 20 #books on The Guardian's 100 Best #Novels list, I've read The Color Purple. I also saw the 1985 film (which I loved, and can't watch without bawling my eyes out) and the 2023 film (which I didn't care for; the musical it was based on might be better, but I haven't seen it). https://www.theguardian.com/p/x4f9v5

the Guardian

The 100 best novels of all time

The top 100 novels of all time published in English, as voted for by authors, critics and academics worldwide. How many have you read?

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Pax Ahimsa Gethen @funcrunch@me.dm

· 5mo ago

Replying to

I was diagnosed with #PCOS in my 30s, when I was still living as a woman. I've never been happy about having a uterus and ovaries. https://funcrunch.medium.com/boy-juice-5820288cd8a8?sk=2ac0df42b8271b488fc07fe720abeca6

Medium

Boy juice

A trans male history of blood, hormones, and the U.S. medical establishment

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Pax Ahimsa Gethen @funcrunch@me.dm

· 5mo ago

Replying to

@knowprose@mastodon.social @medium@me.dm I thought you might have meant Grammarly, but wanted to make sure. 🙂 As I posted recently, I don't use that tool either: https://me.dm/@funcrunch/116518495566410300

me.dm by Medium.com

Pax Ahimsa Gethen (@funcrunch@me.dm)

I was chatting with some folks about #AI bots yesterday and said that I avoid using them. One said "Not even Grammarly?" I said no, and informed them of their (now-discontinued) "Expert Review" that appropriated the names of authors without consent. https://www.wired.com/story/grammarly-is-offering-expert-ai-reviews-from-your-favorite-authors-dead-or-alive/ I wasn't using this tool even before this news broke, however. I do use spellcheck, but that's been around for decades and I don't think i

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Pax Ahimsa Gethen @funcrunch@me.dm

· 5mo ago

Replying to

@griotspeak@soc.mod-12.com @medium@me.dm I too find discussion of AI exhausting.

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Pax Ahimsa Gethen @funcrunch@me.dm

· 5mo ago

Replying to

@evan *Relatively* safe. Being Black and trans is still an issue even in San Francisco.

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Pax Ahimsa Gethen @funcrunch@me.dm

· 5mo ago

Re-sharing a @medium@me.dm story on #depression that I wrote a year ago for #MentalHealth Awareness Month:

https://funcrunch.medium.com/unhelpful-advice-for-the-seriously-depressed-a8a8233623ba?sk=718578629e34c04f98c6539ab31c1f03

Medium

Unhelpful Advice for the Seriously Depressed

Some thoughts for Mental Health Awareness Month

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Pax Ahimsa Gethen @funcrunch@me.dm

· 5mo ago

Replying to

@mjdxp@labyrinth.zone This has happened: https://www.404media.co/an-ai-agent-was-banned-from-creating-wikipedia-articles-then-wrote-angry-blogs-about-being-banned/

404 Media

An AI Agent Was Banned From Creating Wikipedia Articles, Then Wrote Angry Blogs About Being Banned

The incident is yet another example of volunteer Wikipedia editors fighting to keep the world’s largest repository of human knowledge free of AI-generated slop.

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Pax Ahimsa Gethen @funcrunch@me.dm

· 5mo ago

Replying to

@astraleureka @evan What do you mean when you say "fork wiki", and how would it be in any way easier than forking a web browser? Do you mean something like Grokipedia (which I certainly do not recommend)?

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Pax Ahimsa Gethen @funcrunch@me.dm

· 5mo ago

Replying to

@evan To clarify, I voted for city. Though I have no particular loyalty to the US, San Francisco has been my home for 23 years.

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Pax Ahimsa Gethen @funcrunch@me.dm

· 5mo ago

Replying to

@nickapos @evan Agreed on the importance of Wikipedia, but it's important to recognize that the encyclopedia itself is meant to be a tertiary source. To really check the sources, you need to go to the citations on the Wikipedia pages.

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Pax Ahimsa Gethen @funcrunch@me.dm

· 5mo ago

Replying to

Weird that the YouTube image preview says "Why AI is *Unlikely* to Become Conscious" when the video title clearly says "Why AI *Isn't Going* to Become Conscious." I suspect the preview is AI-written 😆

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Pax Ahimsa Gethen @funcrunch@me.dm

· 5mo ago

Replying to

@theresnotime@fox.nexus I recently lost my verification on LinkedIn because the (former) employer I got it from no longer participates in that program or something. I don't want to upload my ID despite them nagging me constantly to verify.

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Pax Ahimsa Gethen @funcrunch@me.dm

· 5mo ago

Replying to

Latest reason to avoid #GoogleAI "overview": https://www.theguardian.com/music/2026/may/05/canadian-ashley-macisaac-fiddler-musician-singer-songwriter-sues-google-ai-sex-offender-ntwnfb

Canadian fiddler sues Google after AI Overview wrongly claimed he was a sex offender

the Guardian

Canadian fiddler sues Google after AI Overview wrongly claimed he was a sex offender

Ashley MacIsaac, who is seeking $1.5m in civil lawsuit, says inaccurate information led to concert cancellation

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Pax Ahimsa Gethen @funcrunch@me.dm

· 2mo ago

Was hoping to attend some #Wikimania sessions virtually, but I'm 10 hours behind here in San Francisco so unlikely. Wish I'd gotten a scholarship so I could be there in person, but at least I'm missing the heat wave.

https://wikimania.wikimedia.org/wiki/2026:Wikimania

wikimania.wikimedia.org

2026:Wikimania - Wikimania

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Pax Ahimsa Gethen @funcrunch@me.dm

· 5mo ago

Replying to

Ah, from this pinned post on Bluesky I see that it used to have the "unlikely" title. Probably just cached then. https://bsky.app/profile/anilseth.bsky.social/post/3mkshu5iw3s2k

Bluesky Social

Anil Seth (@anilseth.bsky.social)

1/2 Why AI is unlikely to become conscious – my 2026 TED talk is now online. What do you think about the prospects for 'conscious AI'? https://www.ted.com/talks/anil_seth_why_ai_is_unlikely_to_become_conscious

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Pax Ahimsa Gethen @funcrunch@me.dm

· 5mo ago

Replying to

Concern about #AI is part of why I asked a few months back, both on here and Patreon, for feedback on @medium@me.dm as a #writing platform, but I got only one response. https://me.dm/@funcrunch/116093448727712823

me.dm by Medium.com

Pax Ahimsa Gethen (@funcrunch@me.dm)

In light of this recent interview with @medium CEO @coachtony, I'm interested in candid (but respectful) feedback from other #writers and readers about that #writing platform. https://medium.com/medium-handbook/is-medium-worth-it-in-2026-194a85fb2f35 #Medium

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Pax Ahimsa Gethen @funcrunch@me.dm

· 5mo ago

Replying to

@noodlemaz@mstdn.games I generally avoid Microsoft products. Though I occasionally need to use Chrome for websites that don't support Firefox properly.

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Pax Ahimsa Gethen @funcrunch@me.dm

· 3mo ago

Replying to

@Natasha_Jay@tech.lgbt @pixin@fandom.garden Yep, here it is on his Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidgatepoet/p/DZFhvXckUj_/

Instagram

David Gate on Instagram: "Happy Pride Month! From my queer family to yours. I finally have this THEY/THEM poem in the 8x10” size, perfect for a gallery wall. And it’s also in A Rebellion of Care you can find them where you usually find 🔗"

13K likes, 90 comments - davidgatepoet on June 2, 2026: "Happy Pride Month! From my queer family to yours. I finally have this THEY/THEM poem in the 8x10” size, perfect for a gallery wall. And it’s also in A Rebellion of Care you can find them where you usually find 🔗".

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Pax Ahimsa Gethen @funcrunch@me.dm

· 5mo ago

Replying to

Of the other novels listed so far, I *think* I might have read My Ántonia and A Farewell to Arms in school, but it was decades ago and my memory of them is fuzzy.

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Pax Ahimsa Gethen @funcrunch@me.dm

· 5mo ago

Replying to

@evan I'm a long-time Wikipedian, Firefox and Thunderbird user. I voted for Mozilla only, but hope I'm wrong on that.

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Pax Ahimsa Gethen @funcrunch@me.dm

· 5mo ago

Replying to

@noodlemaz@mstdn.games Been there. :-(

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