Sign in

Bill Callahan

@cycbill.bsky.social
312 followers 111 following 656 posts

NE Ohio / Old grassroots digital equity hand / Data has its uses / Don't mourn, organize!

PostsRepliesMedia
Bill Callahan @cycbill.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
"Separately, AEP Ohio says it has contracts for nearly 18,000 megawatts of data-center capacity — more than the utility’s historic peak demand from all customers."
cleveland.com
Ohio electricity prices rose 34%. What public records show about bills and data centers
State and federal data show Ohio electricity prices and projected data-center demand are rising, but the records do not show that household bills rose 34% or how much of the increase was caused by dat...
011
Bill Callahan @cycbill.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
It's officially Fall. Just put the window air conditioner back in the garage. Time to take out a loan to gas up the snowblower.
120
Bill Callahan @cycbill.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Neediest. City. Ever.
fox8.com
Cleveland! signs pop up after Taylor Swift hit
The iconic Cleveland script sign is looking a little different.
010
Bill Callahan @cycbill.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
"AT&T, which already shed more than half of its workforce over the past decade, says it's going to continue laying off staff as it gears up for the AI era." Couldn't Wired find at least one or two laid-off AT&T workers for their perspective on this? Or, I dunno, a @cwaunion.bsky.social rep?
wired.com
AT&T Is Automating Away Jobs—and Its Old Telecom Empire
The telecom giant is eager to show Wall Street that it can do more with less. That means fewer employees, less electricity, and increased automation.
000
Bill Callahan @cycbill.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Thanks to Trump/Lutnick arm-twisting the states, SpaceX is sitting on ~$700 million in rural broadband $$$ from the Commerce Dept's BEAD program, probably with more to come. This is for customer premises equipment, not infrastructure, for homes that they claim (per FCC map) they can serve already.
lightreading.com
SpaceX doubles down on push to abolish rural broadband subsidies
Taking aim at 'subsidy-dependent incumbents' that regard LEO's success 'as a threat,' SpaceX is once again pushing the FCC to end the High-Cost fund.
111
Bill Callahan @cycbill.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Ah, but it's very important for all those new behind-the-meter gas power plants we need for our hyperscale AI factories.
010
Bill Callahan @cycbill.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
And once again, a reminder that BroadbandOhio, under duress from the Trump Commerce Dept, has handed almost half of the state's eligible locations for BEAD rural broadband subsidies to Starlink.
121
Bill Callahan @cycbill.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Karl's piece is, as usual, very on point and useful. But also, be sure to read the comment from "[Name Redacted]".
karlbode.com
AI Doomsday Panic Is Completely Out Of Control
The press obsession with software-powered doomsday is a misdirection overshadowing a much deadlier reality: our public interest regulators no longer function.
000
Bill Callahan @cycbill.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
"Bannon's tech guy" Joe Allen: “Data centers, if you think about them as neurons of the Antichrist, that’s what we’re witnessing." Um... yeah, let's go with that.
wired.com
How Data Centers Broke American Politics
What the Unabomber, Steve Bannon’s tech guy, and Bernie Sanders taught me about the great data center backlash of 2026.
131
Reposted by Bill Callahan
Bonnie @babusha.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
011
Bill Callahan @cycbill.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Trump and Lutnick give the states more time to find Federally funded marketing opportunities for StarLink.
lightreading.com
BEAD 'non-deployment' funds to be used for deployment – NTIA
NTIA released guidance stipulating that leftover BEAD funds will be used for more BEAD bidding, and then maybe for actual non-deployment stuff later.
111
Bill Callahan @cycbill.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Strangely this doesn't seem to be dawning on Ohio politicians yet, despite 48% of our BEAD locations being diverted to Musk (fourth highest % among all states), and $500 million of our $800 million BEAD award stuck in the Commerce Dept's "non-deployment" limbo. Hello @amyactonoh.bsky.social?
techdirt.com
Texas Politicians Slowly Realize Elon Musk Hijacked Billions In Taxpayer Broadband Grants
Back in June I wrote a feature for The Verge about how Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos had convinced Republicans to redirect billions in taxpayer money away from future-proof fiber optic upgrades, and toward their low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite broadband networks they'd already planned to deploy. Curious behavior for two extremely-rich gentlemen who both repeatedly...
011
Bill Callahan @cycbill.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
You know the hundreds of permanent jobs your community could land if everyone would just get behind that data center campus? Well...
wired.com
Inside Meta’s Push to Put Robots to Work in Data Centers
The company is testing robots that can swap cables, reset servers, and take on other tasks performed by technicians, fueling concerns among some workers that their jobs could be at risk.
020
Reposted by Bill Callahan
Geeoff @itzspelledgeoff.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Prime Minister Carney: "Effective immediately all ships bound for American ports must transit via Niagara Falls"
011
Bill Callahan @cycbill.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
According to the PUCO, Ohio had 15.1 GW of installed gas-fired generating capacity in Dec 2023, and 25.1 GW installed capacity of all kinds. So the chart shows a 100% increase in OH's gas-fired generating capacity and a 60% increase overall. Emissions ⬆️, gas bills ⬆️ -- all for more AI factories.
Chart: Globally the fastest-growing gas power portfolios are U.S. states -H1 2026 change in gas-fired capacity in development, in gigawatts (GW)

Source: Global Energy Monitor, Global Oil and Gas Plant Tracker, H1 2026
110
Bill Callahan @cycbill.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Dems who want to ride that anti-AI, anti-datacenter wave probably shouldn't be publishing helpful lists of "New Rules for Big Tech to Get Their Widely Hated Fossil-Fueled AI Surveillance and Slop Factories Approved by My Administration." /1
120
Bill Callahan @cycbill.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
"Our own State Department says, 'Do not travel to Haiti for any reason.' ...the travel advisory instructs you to prepare a will, establish a proof of life protocol with your loved ones, and choose a family member to serve as a point of contact with kidnappers."
001
Bill Callahan @cycbill.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
OMG the comments. Best of bsky!
010
Bill Callahan @cycbill.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
Not exactly new news, but OpenAI and Nvidia are now publicly involved in USDoE's planned ten Gw AI campus in Piketon with its 9.2 Gw gas-burning power plant. AI datacenter power "solutions" like this are setting Ohioans up for huge spikes in natural gas use, CO2 emissions, and heating bills.
heatmap.news
The New Era of the Mega-Gas Plant
OpenAI’s new Ohio data center will rely on the country’s largest fossil-fueled power plant — which will be built on federal land.
120
Bill Callahan @cycbill.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
In related news, Verizon is still not offering fiber Internet service to residents of Erie and Reading, the third and fourth biggest cities in its historic PA service area. Or to most neighborhoods in Baltimore.
fierce-network.com
Verizon touts $1B deal with Google to connect AI data centers
Verizon signed a $1B dark fiber deal with Google
020
Bill Callahan @cycbill.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
NYT: A Stunning Loss in Clacton Shows the Limits of Independent Space Warriors
thehill.com
Trump ally Nigel Farage beats Count Binface in special UK election
Nigel Farage, the leader of Britain’s Reform UK Party, regained his seat in Parliament on Thursday, following a special election full of fringe candidates. Farage, an ally of President Trump,…
000
Bill Callahan @cycbill.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
There is a terrific Dukakis-driving-the-tank video just waiting to be made about this.
apnews.com
Trump orders the Navy to return to an older system of launching jets off aircraft carriers
President Donald Trump is ordering the U.S. Navy to remove the advanced system used to launch fighter jets from its newest type of aircraft carriers and return to using older steam catapults that he h...
000
Bill Callahan @cycbill.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Agree completely with Doug about this. Public wi-fi isn't usually a great solution for home Internet, though communities have made it work. But it fills a critical need for mobile phone and laptop users who can't afford real data plans.
potsandpansbyccg.com
The Need for Public WiFi
One of the most interesting positive things that came out of the COVID pandemic was that communities and organizations across the country deployed public WiFi hotspots. This was done at the time to…
000
Reposted by Bill Callahan
Bonnie @babusha.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
I do believe my Humana Healthcare insurance is scamming me to use the Humana Mail-order pharmacy. Notice this doesn't name the pharmacy that will be notified. It comes on the tail of my approving a refill at my CVS. Sneaky Humana. Don't like mail-order drugs; shipping $ & time delay.
011
Bill Callahan @cycbill.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
If you think access to high-speed fiber broadband is the norm for city residents and it's just rural consumers who are getting left behind, think again... at least in Ohio.
connectyourcommunity.org
Data drop: Majority of housing units in ten biggest Ohio central cities can’t get fiber Internet
City residents have the best broadband, right?  Everybody knows it's just rural residents who are getting left behind, as Internet providers roll out their state-of-the-art fiber optic networks to com...
011
Bill Callahan @cycbill.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
ISP prices are trade secrets.
arstechnica.com
ISPs' long nightmare of having to list all the fees they charge is finally over
FCC lets ISPs stop listing all fees after companies complained it was too hard.
000
Bill Callahan @cycbill.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
New blog post at Connect Your Community.
connectyourcommunity.org
NDIA scores partial win in lawsuit on national Digital Equity Act funding; could bring back Ohio funds, too – Connect Your Community
002
Bill Callahan @cycbill.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
Court says Natl Digital Inclusion Alliance has standing to sue to restore Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program, but priority for racial and ethnic minorities must be "severed" from program. NDIA's response... /1
digitalinclusion.org
The Fight for Full Inclusion Continues: NDIA Responds to the Latest Digital Equity Act Ruling - National Digital Inclusion Alliance
Contact: Kristenn Fortson, press@digitalinclusion.org  Court Halts Trump’s Attempt to End Grant Program for Digital Equity  National Digital
100
Bill Callahan @cycbill.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
Relentless. And we're looking at two more years of this shit, no matter who controls Congress. The FCC has been a pathetically weak Internet regulator by design since the 90s. Mostly it just preempts consumer protection by states. Maybe Dems should be calling to strip FCC of that role.
arstechnica.com
FCC to end Biden-era rule that forces ISPs to list all their fees
FCC to let ISPs stop listing all passthrough fees, give single "up to" price.
000
Bill Callahan @cycbill.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
I believe this is the first time cleveland.com has reported on any angle of the Slavic Village hyperscale project. Maybe because all along they've had this story in the oven, catching multiple City Hall players in a, well, *disingenuous* response. So who else knew about this year-long site search?
cleveland.com
Cleveland gave developer the OK to pitch hyperscale data centers in the city, letter shows
Long before the developer’s pitch was rejected, Cleveland's electric utility gave the company the green light to pitch data centers in the city.
110
Bill Callahan @cycbill.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
It's kind of niche-y, but if you're in this particular niche it's pretty hilarious. But -- Github takes stuff down? (Look at the comments on Sascha's post for an updated version.)
000
Bill Callahan @cycbill.bsky.social · 26/06/2026
"In April, the House in a rare bipartisan move passed a bill to extend TPS for Haiti for three years, but it’s unlikely to overcome the 60-vote threshold in the GOP-controlled Senate." Media needs to ask Gov DeWine what he's doing to push Husted and Moreno on this.
ohiocapitaljournal.com
US Supreme Court rules Trump administration can end legal protections for 350,000 Haitians • Ohio Capital Journal
The U.S. Supreme Court Thursday allowed the Trump administration to move forward with its plans to strip temporary legal status from 350,000 Haitians and 6,000 Syrians, a move that opens them up to de...
010
Bill Callahan @cycbill.bsky.social · 26/06/2026
"Cleveland needs an identity,” IBEW Local 38’s Mike Bremmer told council members... “We could be the tech capital of the Midwest." Funny, I thought you guys settled on Blockland. Or maybe it was Believeland (as in The City That Will Believe Anything).
signalcleveland.org
Cleveland 3-month data center pause heads to City Council vote
Cleveland is preparing to put a hold on new data centers as it writes zoning rules for the high-tech projects. Read more.
010
Bill Callahan @cycbill.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
That includes about 40,000 rural Ohio households. /.1
washingtonmonthly.com
How Trump Screwed Rural Americans to Help Musk Become a Trillionaire
Trump’s rewrite of rural broadband rules helped Musk steer public money toward Starlink to strengthen SpaceX and screw rural Americans.
100
Bill Callahan @cycbill.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
Thank you @theverge.com for a great piece by @karlbode.com and @seangon.bsky.social. This is a big untold story in rural Ohio, especially some Appalachian counties. Maybe some reporter could do a little digging at BroadbandOhio instead of writing that umpteenth datacenter backgrounder.
0368
Reposted by Bill Callahan
The Rooster @rooster.info · 19/06/2026
Since March, Vivek Ramaswamy has traveled to Portugal, Greece, the Bahamas, Port Clinton and Akron aboard the new private jet that he worked hard to hide ownership of. Full logs, here: www.rooster.info/p/vivek-rama...
rooster.info
Every flight Vivek Ramaswamy took on his secret private jet in 2026
Ramaswamy has a new private jet, accruing an estimated $243,219 in fuel costs over 54 flights from Columbus to places like Akron, Port Clinton, Portugal and Greece in 2026.
419659
Bill Callahan @cycbill.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
Amazon LEO pulls out of BEAD commitment in Nebraska "due to changes in their business plans”. Hmmmm. Amazon LEO (fm Kuiper) was picked for more than 280K BEAD locations in 25 states, despite big questions about their satellite readiness. How many more are subject to those "business plan changes"?
broadband.io
Some BEAD Winners Are Walking Away. What Happens Next? | The Broadband Community
With BEAD awards moving into the contract execution phase, a small but growing number of proposed subgrantees are deciding not to proceed. In some cases, companies are walking away voluntarily. In ano...
000
Reposted by Bill Callahan
Sascha Meinrath @saschameinrath.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
Let the [BEAD] defaults... BEGIN!!! www.broadband.io/c/get-broadb... Did we not learn from the RDOF default fiasco: lowest-bid contracts yield extremely high default rates unless you have *meaningful* repercussions for defaulters. Mark my words, this will get much worse over the next 18-24 months.
broadband.io
Some BEAD Winners Are Walking Away. What Happens Next? | The Broadband Community
With BEAD awards moving into the contract execution phase, a small but growing number of proposed subgrantees are deciding not to proceed. In some cases, companies are walking away voluntarily. In ano...
011
Bill Callahan @cycbill.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
Agree with @rooster.info but it's not just rural Ohio. New Albany isn't rural. Hilliard and Dublin aren't rural. Hamilton isn't rural. Lordstown, Niles, Massillon aren't rural. The AWS hypersite in Stark Co is a mile from the Canton city limit. All places Dems need some clear "animating issues".
rooster.info
Data centers are a generational Democratic opportunity in rural Ohio
It will be nothing short of political malpractice without a clear moral stance on a chief animating issue of our times.
300
Bill Callahan @cycbill.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
You'll want to share this.
001
Bill Callahan @cycbill.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
That's me at bottom left.
131
Bill Callahan @cycbill.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
Cleveland.com's Rich Exner reports on the GCP's predictable opposition to a city data center moratorium to review zoning rules, without once mentioning the developer who just quietly applied for a rubber-stamp permit to build a 300,000 SF, 150 MW hyperscale in Slavic Village, and almost got it.
cleveland.com
Business group says data center moratoriums send wrong signal
Business group says a data center moratorium is like putting up a
100
Bill Callahan @cycbill.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
Genuinely puzzled. Two weeks ago tomorrow, neo-trans.blog revealed that an investment group plans to put a 150 MW hyperscale data center on a vacant lot in a Cleveland neighborhood. Big controversy. But Cleveland.com has still not mentioned it. Are they just sulking about Prendergast scooping them?
000
Bill Callahan @cycbill.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
And the Trump Administration replied: "They get me!"
000
Bill Callahan @cycbill.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
Ken Prendergast at NEOtrans, still the only source of actual reporting on this story, says the Lakeland Equity permit application for a hyperscale data center in Slavic Village was nixed because no drawings were included. They can resubmit, but maybe not in time to evade proposed City moratorium.
neo-trans.blog
Data center rejection prompts reaction – NEOtrans
000
Bill Callahan @cycbill.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
Duh. But I'm glad somebody is checking.
broadbandbreakfast.com
Some of Ohio’s Satellite BEAD Locations Face Tree Canopy Cover, Analyst Says
NTIA said money could be clawed back if service doesn’t meet standards.
000
Bill Callahan @cycbill.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
On X and IG. Don't see a release on the City website yet.
Screenshot of X post by City of Cleveland announcing that the permit application for a data center in Slavic Village has been rejected.
001
Bill Callahan @cycbill.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
It's been a full week since @neotrans.bsky.social broke the story of a permit application being filed for a 150 MW hyperscale data center in the middle of Cleveland's Slavic Village neighborhood. As of today, cleveland.com still hasn't published a word about it. Very weird.
000
Bill Callahan @cycbill.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
I don't think anyone thought in 2023 that this was likely to work out, but the City Hall consensus was "What the hell, nothing to lose, give it a shot." Three years later, SiFi is officially a dud, 40%+ of Cleveland homes still don't have fiber access, and there's no plan to change the situation.
signalcleveland.org
Cleveland moves to kill citywide ultra-fast fiber network deal  - Signal Cleveland
Cleveland cut a deal in 2023 with SiFi Networks, which promised to lay fiber-optic cable in the city at no cost. The company never started.
120
Bill Callahan @cycbill.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
Just leaving this here icymi. :)
youtube.com
Watch This NYT "Music Critic" Embarrass Himself...AGAIN
YouTube video by Rick Beato
000