Michael Castellon

The Internet Archive has to date downloaded 500 terabytes of US government websites, which it crawls at the end of every presidential term. The whole archive is fully searchable. This effort's housed by a donation-funded nonprofit, not a branch of the US government. blog.archive.org/2024/05/08/e...

Direct File shows how civic tech can work for good Good evening from Washington, where the news cycles are moving faster than rats on a hot tin roof. Thanks to all of the news subscribers over the weekend and everyone whose become a member since soft...

The IRS’ direct file service opened for 25 states today. It’s a historic example of how civic technology can work for good. civic-texts.ghost.io/direct-file-...

How to delete your Facebook account and take your data with you If you want to know how to delete your Facebook account, follow these steps to get rid of it, and also save anything you want to keep.

If you are so inclined, here's "How to delete your Facebook account and take your data with you. Meta has buried account deletion and deactivation within your Facebook settings, but we found them." www.popsci.com/diy/how-to-d...

North Shore, Oahu, Hawaii

You’re the US Marines band at the White House and Mavis Staples 👑 walks into the room so you start playing "I’ll Take You There" and this happens👇

Kara Swisher Wants to Take WaPo Off Jeff Bezos’ Hands The veteran tech reporter is putting together a group of investors to make an offer for the storied paper.

@karaswisher.bsky.social, git r dun!

www.thedailybeast.com/kara-swisher...

This is what the internet was supposed to be

Why we need more sunshine in government, and less Daylight Saving time in the USA Good afternoon from Washington, where I’ve been holding down the fort for a tween, two dogs, and a growing end-of-year checklist. I hope you and yours are well. If you’re receiving this message, it’s...

I just filed a new edition of Civic Texts:
civic-texts.ghost.io/the-drone-my...

It’s a digest, as opposed to a singular essay, clearing out some of my notebook and being open about where things stand with me.

If you find it valuable, please consider subscribing and amplifying to your networks.

The number of infected people, measured over 70-some years and across all 50 states and the District of Columbia, generally declined after vaccines were introduced. The heat maps show number of cases per 100,000 people.

Polio cases in US states, before and after introduction of the polio vaccine
graphics.wsj.com/infectious-d...

Great technical editing goes beyond grammar. Focus on clarity, consistency, and the reader’s perspective. If the audience can’t act on the content, the edits don’t matter. #TechnicalWriting #EditingTips

The weight and balance needs a recalc after December 1

Analysis | Musk admits X throttles links as ‘news influencers’ take over Hard times for the humble hyperlink and those who depend on it.

Musk admitted X throttles links, and Threads is only a little better. But social media's quiet war on links has been going on for years. I wrote about how big tech has been draining the open web's lifeblood and giving us "news influencers" instead of the news. www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...

The hidden money lessons in the Thanksgiving classic 'Planes, Trains & Automobiles' The John Hughes comedy classic explores the meaning of friendship—but don’t overlook the important money lessons mixed in with the laughs.

The Thanksgiving classic Planes, Trains and Automobiles is more than a comedy about getting home in time for dinner, it’s a lesson about money and the importance of human connection too. @fastcompany.com

General aviation does more than recreation — it includes 440,000+ aircraft worldwide, supporting medevac, organ transport, disaster relief, and more. #AviationFacts #GeneralAviation

Flying over central Texas

#flying over central Texas

Been looking for something like this. Thank you!

3 in 4 Facebook 'shares' are by people who haven't read the story, especially the extreme stuff 3 in 4 Facebook 'shares' are by people who haven't read the story, especially the extreme stuff A US analysis of over 35 million Facebook posts shared between 2017 and 2020 found that ‘shares...

www.scimex.org/newsfeed/thr...

Telling #Ukraine they should give up land currently occupied by Russian forces…

…would be like the U.S. loosing:

Montana
New Mexico
Arizona
Nevada
Colorado
Oregon
Utah

…all together.

That’s not a peace plan, it’s appeasement.

The shift from billionaire-controlled social media to decentralized platforms like Bluesky offers a hopeful change on the internet

🔗 www.404media.co/the-great-mi...

A map of flight paths emanating from breeding colony of gulls, with this caption: Early on, LifeWatch noticed something odd. Most gulls were making daily trips to Mouscron, a city on the French border 65 km away. They went to investigate and found the birds bingeing on discarded snacks at the Roger & Roger potato factory.

Today in relatable science: Gulls making a mysterious daily trip that turned out to be to a potato chip factory

The stakes for clear technical communication have never been higher. When the public can’t grasp policies or scientific info, misinformation fills the gap. Writing with precision isn’t just a skill, it’s a civic duty.