Kermode

Silicon Valley's "Pronatalists" Killed Remote Work. Then the Strait of Hormuz Brought It Back

This is so weird. While one of my housemates gets wound up about over population, the billionaires are spending money to increase it!

Elon Musk, who has fathered at least fourteen children and called declining birth rates “a much bigger risk to civilization than global warming,” told tech workers on CNBC to “get off the goddamn moral high horse with the work-from-home bulls***.” Marc Andreessen, whose Techno-Optimist Manifesto declares “our planet is dramatically underpopulated,”testified before his local town council that he was “immensely against multifamily housing development.” The network around them (Thiel, Altman, Armstrong, Buterin) has poured some $800 million into fertility technology

https://www.governance.fyi/p/silicon-valleys-pronatalists-killed

Very interesting all the things that effect birth rates. Same as long blackouts.

We are the Crazy Indians Brotherhood—not a gang, not a motorcycle club, but a Brotherhood. Built on respect, mentorship, and the Seven Grandfather Teachings, we support men seeking change, purpose, and belonging. Check out the “About Us” and “Events” pages for more information about us!

https://crazyindiansbrotherhood.ca/

When our seniors group puts on a free luncheon e.g. https://skeenavalleyseniors.org/ 6 or 8 Crazy Indians from The Brotherhood come and put out our tables and chairs. And they come back and take them all down again. Enough for 120-140 people usually.
A guy from the Brotherhood came to my home and worked on my car for a half hour the other day.
Someone ploughed our driveway this morning. I don't know who.
Buddy told me they don't have a geek, so I'm going to join.
I'm dropping membership in another outfit who don't lean on me at all. No point. The Crazy Indians need a geek.
That's where I usually end up. That and cooking. I cook quite a lot for a non-cook actually. Full stack and µsoft janitor are my only other talents really. In my dotage :-)
I don't think I'll ever go back to board repairs, alarms/control/telephony. Too old now.
I just knock off the ducks :-) The easy ones.

The Crazy Indians Brotherhood was created to support Aboriginal men who are choosing to leave behind lives shaped by crime, violence, addiction, gang involvement, prison, and the streets. We understand these struggles because many of our members have lived them. Our brotherhood exists to help one another find a better path—for ourselves, our families, and future generations.
While our roots are Indigenous, our doors are open to all nationalities who share our values and are committed to personal growth, accountability, and positive change.
As Brothers, we strive to live by the Seven Grandfather Teachings:
Courage, Honesty, Humility, Truth, Wisdom, Love, and Respect.
These teachings guide how we treat one another, how we serve our communities, and how we conduct ourselves as men.
We promote compassion, unity, protection, belonging, and the importance of having a safe place to be heard. We believe it is not weakness—but strength—to help your fellow Brother. By lifting one another up through kindness, sharing, and support, we work to break cycles that have harmed our communities for generations.
Our membership includes men of all ages and backgrounds. This diversity allows us to offer grounded, real-life mentorship, guidance, and perspective to those who are ready to change their lives.

During the past year, it has become unsafe for our guests to visit the country. We cannot in good conscience ask the new winners, or the international journalists who cover the event, to travel to the USA this year."

-- Marc Abrahams

Even the Ignoble Prize can't host in the USA anymore.
https://improbable.com/2026/03/10/the-ig-nobel-prize-ceremony-is-moving-to-europe-after-35-years-in-the-usa/