I write a blog that focuses on public information, public health, and policy: https://pimento-mori.ghost.io/

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Cake day: June 24th, 2025

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  • Propaganda has done a really good job somehow convincing people that DEI was about exclusion at the expense of meritocracy rather than inclusion at that expense of nepotism.

    Then the people that fall for it are so quick to point out “well why does it seem like there’s way less resources to go around?” instead of asking why are so many resources being hoarded by a small group of individuals.

    And please don’t get me started on darwinism/survival of the fittest BS. As if we didn’t realize long ago the “superior bloodlines” of many inbred resource hoarders left them at risk of being taken out by papercuts.

    So how do the Monte Burnses of the world survive to such frail old age? RESOURCE HOARDING!!!












  • Exactly, so why not demand ownership of our data?

    When you look at data sovereignty in indigenous communities people are already establishing ways to do this.

    What’s even more concerning than social networks, jobs, daily commutes, shopping habits, sexual preferences, political views etc. is health data. Not only is that extremely private, corporations recognize the monetary value is incredibly high.

    https://www.statnews.com/2025/01/16/health-ai-electronic-health-records-hipaa-deidentified-data-market/

    Artificial intelligence models are ever-hungry black boxes that need boatloads of bits and bytes from a wide stream of real-world data in order to produce insights about patients and their care. To satisfy this need, a trove of companies have popped up to buy patient data from hospitals and sell it to those wanting to train AI or do research.

    https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667321525001775

    In today’s digital era, data has evolved into an invaluable asset often described as the new oil making its governance especially consequential for Indigenous communities. Indigenous Data Sovereignty (IDSov) affirms the rights of Indigenous peoples to govern, control, access, and benefit from data that derive from their peoples, lands, and knowledge systems (Carroll et al., 2020). This principle has direct implications for population health because data governance influences how priorities are defined, how prevention and care strategies are implemented, and how health outcomes are assessed across communities (Rhodes et al., 2023). A long history of exclusion from decisions about data collection and use has produced exploitation, misrepresentation, and persistent mistrust in data-driven health initiatives (Fox, 2020; Mello and Wolf, 2010).

    There are some models of data sovereignty where people are being given direct control of their health data, and it cannot be legally used for anything without their permission. Even if it’s granted permission to be used once for a certain piece of research, it’s then locked away again afterwards.

    There’s also examples where people are paid directly/individually for allowing access to their data.

    Imagine the value to be leveraged by people if all data (civic, digital, health) was locked away from corporations. And not sold, temporarily leased to whoever individuals or communities choose to lease if to.




  • I’m head over heels in love with the idea of communities taking back control of their data and using it to leverage power.

    But I also think we should be thinking in terms of how do we achieve this before 2126 bc we need to establish and gain control before it can be used to train anymore shitty oligarchy controlled AI that keeps failing to perform in the real world.

    Even if this is just step one of a marathon, it seems like something most cities should be aiming to catch up with sooner rather than later:

    https://debeaumont.org/programs/made-for-health-justice/

    About MADE for Health Justice Modernized Anti-racist Data Ecosystems (MADE) for Health Justice partners with communities who are creating, using, and governing civic data on their own terms to advance health equity and more just decision making.






  • Moreno, a Democrat, asked to meet one-on-one with Landry, but the governor has shunned the mayor so far. On Monday, he said he would only meet with Moreno once “she understands that they have to get their fiscal house in order.”

    🙄 omg the audacity of Cajun Yosemite sam and his little man syndrome

    Moreno responded in her written statement by saying: “We’re stronger together. My door remains open.”

    Damn, I’m sure he doesn’t see it this way but that’s some genuine class which kinda translates into low key shade.

    The Louisiana Department of Revenue tax collection report for the 2024-2025 state fiscal year, the latest data available, shows the New Orleans region was still the powerhouse generator of tax revenue that year.

    Money talks bullshit walks. So get to stepping bb Huey