~ Early Web Links ~

Slower News is a human-curated digest tracking technology's effects on geopolitics, politics, economy, society, ecology, and more, deliberately filtered to surface relevant trends and edge cases without the noise of mainstream news cycles. Hand-coded, JavaScript-free, and tracking-free, it offers a thoughtfully minimal reading experience organized around broad themes like AI, de-dollarization, demographic shifts, and free speech.

A low-bandwidth podcast archive hosting daily episodes of TOSOM (The Other Side of Midnight), optimized for listeners with limited data caps. The site provides a practical alternative feed so fans can consume roughly 20 episodes per month using only a fraction of a typical 10GB bandwidth allowance.

An archived 1995 HotWired article by Josh Quittner exploring the birth of 'Way New Journalism' and how the web might fundamentally transform media, publishing, and the economics of content distribution. A fascinating time capsule from the early commercial web, capturing the excitement and uncertainty journalists felt as digital publishing upended traditional print models.

Brent Simmons, creator of NetNewsWire, writes thoughtfully about the collapse of Twitter's dominance as the internet's de facto town square and what it means for the open web. The post argues passionately for a return to the decentralized, creative energy of the early web and the RSS-driven blogosphere.

Paper Tiger Television is a long-running independent media organization dedicated to freedom of speech, personal expression, and social justice through grassroots video production. Their site offers access to an archive of activist media work, a history of the collective, and resources connecting visitors to their mission.

Joe Ross is a lawyer with a keen interest in law, tech policy, and geekery who runs this frequently updated link blog sharing commentary on politics, culture, and the occasional obscure delight. Posts range from Supreme Court dynamics and civil liberties to RoboCop statues and rare Steve Jobs interviews, making it a lively and eclectic read.

Consumer World is a long-running consumer advocacy hub curating breaking consumer news, shopping bargains, scam warnings, and price comparison tools all in one place. Founded in 1995, it covers everything from shrinkflation and fake product alerts to mortgage rates and prescription drug discounts, making it a go-to resource for savvy shoppers and consumer rights advocates.

Link Punk is a linkblog by Braden Slen that curates and comments on daily news stories spanning politics, civil liberties, and current events with a distinctly skeptical, left-leaning voice. The format is clean and RSS-friendly, offering a steady stream of annotated links to journalism and longform reads from across the web.

Jeff Kaufman's personal blog covers a wide range of topics including effective altruism, urban housing policy, parenting, contra dance music, and technology. The site features regularly updated posts with thoughtful analysis on civic and social issues, alongside links to his music projects and coding work.

Brad Enslen's personal blog covers a lively mix of political commentary, tech observations, and offbeat humor in a short-post microblog style. The site also features a personal directory, a movies section, and connections to IndieWeb webrings, making it a charming corner of the independent web.