The COVID, AI, triggered cultural vibe shift we did not see coming

30 December 2025

Sydney based Australian journalist and speech writer Brigid Delaney, writing for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC):

Arriving, a friend asked me how I was. I was OK, I replied, but still disorientated from my time on X. “I don’t know what’s real anymore,” I said. It was dawning on me that this feeling of not knowing reality was — for me — the vibe shift. AI had polluted my clarity, in part because it was so uncanny and real that it was very easy to be tricked.

The COVID lock-downs were the beginning, but the arrival of AI in 2022, and even the election of American President Donald Trump in 2024, have accelerated the vibe shift Delaney writes of.

I’m certainly aware of changes in the way people interact with each other, even if those are relatively subtle. I hear of people adopting hermit-like lifestyles, enveloping themselves in AI fostered domains, with AI companions, but don’t see, or hear, much about it in the circles I move. Most people seem to socialise face-to-face with family and friends as usual. Or at least create that impression.

Delaney’s article is contemplative reading, whatever your thoughts on any sort of vibe shift might be.

Are you a ‘small i’ indie web, or ‘capital I’ IndieWeb, publisher?

30 December 2025

Chris Shaw, writing at uncountable thoughts:

The IndieWeb is, as far as I can tell, a community of people who advocate certain digital principles and support each other in working towards those. The most famous principle is Publish (on your) Own Site, Syndicate Elsewhere. There are a variety of initiatives such as the monthly blog carnival (which I have hosted in the past) and online/in-person meetups.

The indie web, on the other hand, is a (very) much larger universe of websites run by individuals who wish to express their independent creativity.

You can, as I am, be an indie web publisher, without being an IndieWeb publisher.

Many personal websites and blogs pre-date the IndieWeb movement, sometimes by well over a decade, but align with some IndieWeb principles. I am definitely in that category, and henceforth shall refer to myself as a ‘small i’ indie web publisher.

Some Australian cafes adopt automatic tipping as costs keep rising

24 December 2025

In a land were people (still) do not generally expect to pay a tip at food and beverage venues, a practice called automatic tipping is sure to be poorly received. Industry workers are reasonably well paid in Australia (or are meant to be), so customers see little need to offer tips.

This is not the case for all dining workers across the world though.

But some local food and beverage venues, struggling with escalating costs, have begun adding a gratuity of up to ten-percent to what they charge customers, a practice called automatic tipping.

Although it may not be popular, some industry observers predict the practice will become more common, in response to rising overheads. While automatic tipping is legal in Australia, food and beverage operators must be upfront about the charge, and allow customers to opt out of paying.

At a cafe I go to regularly, a large cappuccino costs five-dollars-and-fifty-cents (Australian). An automatic tip of ten-percent would see the cost rise to six-dollars-and-five-cents. I appreciate local food and beverage operators are struggling, but I’d rather meet them half-way.

Perhaps increase the price of a coffee by five-percent, maybe a tad more, taking the price to five-dollars-and-eighty-cents. Round off the price to nearest twenty-cents so people paying cash (to avoid card surcharges) don’t end up with a pocket too full of loose change.

I think most customers, certainly regulars, would continue to support their favourite coffee shop.

A reasonable price increase, and not just for coffee of course, seems far less underhand than levying an automatic tip, would avoid potential confrontations, and bring the much needed revenue boost food and beverage venues are looking for.

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Hollywood creative group seeks responsible use of AI in filmmaking

24 December 2025

Actors, filmmakers, writers, and show runners, are among Hollywood creative professionals who have formed an industry group called the Creators Coalition on AI (CCAI), says Chris Gardner, writing for The Hollywood Reporter:

CCAI’s rallying cry states that the group is not against AI use in Hollywood — “this is not a full rejection of AI” — but rather a hope that all involved can commit to “responsible, human-centered innovation.” Per CCAI: “We believe humanity is creative enough to design a system that allows for the tech and creative industries to coordinate, collaborate and flourish but that will not happen by default. We must unite and push back against the current path and demand all parties come together to build a better system.”

The CCAI is not opposed to AI as such, but, long story short, wants to ensure the technologies are deployed in a “responsible” manner.

Jarrod Grech paints mural of Ahmed Al Ahmed, who disarmed a Bondi Beach shooter

24 December 2025

Melbourne based Australian artist Jarrod Grech, has painted a mural (Instagram link) of Ahmed Al Ahmed, who heroically wrenched a rifle out of the hands of one of the shooters during the terrorist attack targeting the Jewish community, at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, on Sunday 14 December 2025.

Ahmed was one of several unarmed and fearless civilians who confronted the shooters. Boris Gurman, wife Sofia, and Reuven Morrison, also tried to stop the shooters, but were tragically killed doing so. Hopefully their acts of bravery are never forgotten.

Firefox will give users the option to disable AI features

22 December 2025

From a post on the Firefox for Web Developers Mastodon account:

Something that hasn’t been made clear: Firefox will have an option to completely disable all AI features. We’ve been calling it the AI kill switch internally. I’m sure it’ll ship with a less murderous name, but that’s how seriously and absolutely we’re taking this.

There’s no escaping AI, and that may not always be a bad thing, but it seems inevitable that web browsers of the future will eventually be like Altas, the ChatGPT/OpenAI browser. I don’t however like the idea of taking an existing browser, and fitting it out with AI functionality, as Mozilla intends to do.

As I wrote about two months ago, if Mozilla wants to release an AI browser, it should be separate from the existing Firefox browser. If people want to use an AI-powered version of Firefox, fine, they can do so. But if people don’t want that, it shouldn’t be foisted upon them. That’s probably thinking that’s a tad too simplistic however. The AI “kill switch” it will have to be.

Users may have to pay to post links on Facebook pages. Time to get a website

22 December 2025

Ivan Mehta, writing for TechCrunch:

Over the last week, several users have spotted Meta’s test, which impacts link posting. Social media strategist Matt Navarra noted that users part of the test can only post two links unless they pay for a Meta Verified subscription, which starts from $14.99 per month.

The proposed regime will apply to those who use professional mode on the social network.

Like many website owners, I can post as many links as I want to here, without the need to pay a cent to Meta, or be “verified” by them.

X moves to head-off claim on ‘abandoned’ Twitter branding

20 December 2025

Sarah Perez, writing for TechCrunch:

Elon Musk’s X is updating its Terms of Service to indicate it still lays claim to the “Twitter” trademark. The move to add this detail to the company’s terms follows an announcement from a Virginia-based startup, which recently filed an application to trademark the term “Twitter.”

No surprises there. Anyone hoping to obtain the rights to the Twitter trademark must know they face an uphill struggle to do so.

Former police officer warned of potential Bondi Beach mass shooting ten years ago

20 December 2025

Steve Buttel, a former NSW police officer, speaking to Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reporters Lia Harris and Pablo Vinales:

A former NSW Police sergeant claims he repeatedly warned his superiors years ago that local officers would not be equipped to respond to an active-shooter attack in Bondi.

Between 2008 and 2016 Steve Buttel was based at Waverley police station, which was responsible for patrolling Bondi Beach as part of the Eastern Suburbs Police Area Command.

Mr Buttel told the ABC he informed his bosses “it was only a matter of time” before there would be a terror attack targeting the local Jewish community.

It’s horrifying to think, despite strict gun control laws in Australia, there were some police officers concerned a mass shooting event might occur one day at Bondi Beach.

Mastodon members prefer Linux operating systems

17 December 2025

The poll will probably be closed by now, but New York City based software developer Rafael Pérez was asking other Mastodon users what their preferred non-work operating system (OS) was.

Perhaps it will come as no surprise to learn that GNU Linux or UNIX OS’s, were, as of the time I type, favoured by sixty-two percent of respondents. This from over seven-thousand-two-hundred votes.

I was among that number as Linux is both my work and non-work OS. Apple OS’s were enjoying nearly twenty-five percent of the vote, while Microsoft offerings were coming in a distant third.

Obviously a poll on conducted on a social network may not be one-hundred scientific, but I think it says a lot about the OS preference of Mastodon members.

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