Reposted by Richard SwitzerCourtney Milan @courtneymilan.com · 07/10/2026"We don't want to turn into a banana republic, so we won't try to rein in corporations" is the kind of thing you say if you don't know what makes a banana republic a banana republic, and instead want to be a banana republic where the bananas are data centers. 121490357
Richard Switzer @rswitz.bsky.social · 07/10/2026Let’s hope we hear a lot more about Attribution Science in the next few years. Massive companies have externalized the cost of their harms to people in the planet for nearly a century through lobbying and propaganda. Their time is up. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/10/06/o... 001
Richard Switzer @rswitz.bsky.social · 05/10/2026That’s @anandwrites.bsky.social right there.bsky.app 000
Richard Switzer @rswitz.bsky.social · 05/10/2026Haha thanks Siep. Check out Omar’s American War. or Automatic Noodle if you’re looking for something lighter about a bunch of misfit, sentient robots that open a restaurant. 010
Richard Switzer @rswitz.bsky.social · 05/10/2026Its shows that the object intended to create fear & blind compliance has a vulnerability, a thermal exhaust port into which an everyday citizen like Renee Good, Wilber Perez or Rev. David Black could fire a proton torpedo. Which I guess makes the book R2D2, in case you need another reason to buy it. 110
Richard Switzer @rswitz.bsky.social · 05/10/2026…and unite neighborhoods around kindness and supportive communities. When ICE thugs showed up, Minnesotans were ready. In a funny way, this book is like the blueprint to the Death Star: 100
Richard Switzer @rswitz.bsky.social · 05/10/2026… Rejecting the epidemic of spineless anticipatory obedience, Minnesota's 'organizing in advance' movement built resilient coalitions under the Greater than Fear banner, pulling in a wide swath of religious organizations, workers unions and grassroots orgs to counter divisive dog-whistle politics... 100
Richard Switzer @rswitz.bsky.social · 05/10/2026Both authors found hope through understanding the mechanics of how the deeply weird, apocalyptic factions including Christian Nationalist end-timers, ethnonationalist extremists and tech oligarchs found common cause, and in so doing explore their deep, fundamental weaknesses. Just one example: 100
Richard Switzer @rswitz.bsky.social · 05/10/2026Was lucky enough to see @naomiaklein.bsky.social and @astra.bsky.social discuss their new book last night in Toronto, hosted by the perfect moderator in Omar El Akkad. Despite the title, this sounds like a positive book (bought it at the event) 🧵 100
Reposted by Richard SwitzerMr. Dan Zak @mrdanzak.com · 04/10/2026A Haitian man legally immigrated to Ohio, then was given an ankle monitor bc Trump withdrew his status. He threw himself in front of truck. The trucker, who voted for Trump, is haunted. “Pierre was doing what he was supposed to do. We did not do right by him.” www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...theatlantic.comA Reckoning in SpringfieldA truck driver out on his route confronts what the country has become. 37353421837
Reposted by Richard SwitzerBrigid Alverson @brigidalverson.bsky.social · 02/10/2026I think it is crucial for the health of the Democratic party that the entire consultant class from previous administrations, including and especially Clinton, be told to go home and stop bothering people. They are wrong about everything and have been holding the party back for decades. 151327228
Reposted by Richard SwitzerBill Grueskin @bgrueskin.bsky.social · 30/09/2026Seems like some version of this runs every day 2935277
Richard Switzer @rswitz.bsky.social · 29/09/2026If a consortium of fossil fuel companies are investing $30B into something, do you think emissions and are going to go down? Or up? And natural gas prices for Canadians? Down or up? Australia holds the answer to both. bsky.app/profile/rswi... 000
Richard Switzer @rswitz.bsky.social · 29/09/2026As you skim the announcement of the $30B expansion of LNG in BC today, consider this thread: “What we need is a massive clampdown on the influence of money over politics, including lobbying transparency, campaign finance reform, an end to the revolving door between politics and lobbying.” 102
Richard Switzer @rswitz.bsky.social · 29/09/2026static.klipy.comRight to Jail MemeAlt: Right to Jail Meme 000
Richard Switzer @rswitz.bsky.social · 23/09/2026Music brings me so much joy. Last night saw these goofballs at Massey Hall and today a friend sent a link to a new double-length album from The Drin: open.spotify.com/album/7hX3zk... 000
Richard Switzer @rswitz.bsky.social · 23/09/2026A lot of WH staff in the 1st Trump admin were dedicated civil servants there to serve the office and the people, not Trump loyalists. @oliviaoftroye.com was one of the many good ones, as the most minuscule bit of research would tell you. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olivia_...en.wikipedia.orgOlivia Troye - Wikipedia 100
Richard Switzer @rswitz.bsky.social · 23/09/2026Standard regulatory capture playbook: Step one: Major fear mongering campaign. AI must be regulated! Step two: Who besides us massively overleveraged AI companies could possibly write the regulations??? Step three: Regulations shut out new entrants and open-source competitors. 000
Reposted by Richard SwitzerSpencer Ackerman @attackerman.bsky.social · 23/09/2026The moment the AI company is asking you for your bank account data, that’s what we call a “clue.” That’s the ore they’re mining from you. That will become the basis for surveillance-pricing you on everything you buy in the future. Including those groceries 530671
Richard Switzer @rswitz.bsky.social · 20/09/2026Finally found a product category Wirecutter doesn’t have any reviews on. 000
Reposted by Richard SwitzerJames Elder @jameselder.bsky.social · 20/09/2026Wow. I hadn’t realised how much LLMs had killed StackOverflow (the site where coders traditionally go to ask questions when they’re stuck): “Just before the launch of ChatGPT in 2022, there were more than 100,000 monthly questions asked on the site; last month, there were fewer than 1,500.” ft.comWho cleans up after the vibe-coding party?Our obsession with AI code-writing tools is overwhelming the web’s unsung human caretakers 14663183
Reposted by Richard SwitzerNicholas Grossman @nicholasgrossman.bsky.social · 19/09/2026The White House Press Corps should've walked out as soon as the Trump regime banned the Associated Press for calling the Gulf of Mexico the "Gulf of Mexico." That was Feb 15, 2025. The first month of Trump Term II. Not surprising that abandoning principles for weak acquiescence led to more abuse. 431529305
Richard Switzer @rswitz.bsky.social · 18/09/2026Senior CNBC econ reporter @steveliesman.bsky.social: “Insanity is not a strategy” 000
Reposted by Richard SwitzerKetan Joshi @ketanjoshi.co · 18/09/2026When you use framing / communications tactics to re-frame presentation away from your true intentions, that re-framing starts to creep into your soul and your mind; backwards-infecting your ideology. So: renewable deployment *actually* stops being about climate. Fossil phase-out stops mattering. 16410
Reposted by Richard SwitzerAaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 13/09/2026Ossoff: "While the world burns & you pay more for everything, your tax dollars become royal family's wealth. Bc it pays to be a Trump, especially when the whole world knows daddy's a crook. Half a billion from the Emirati spy chief... the Mar-a-Lago mafia really has taken corruption to new heights" 522455682
Reposted by Richard SwitzerAaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 13/09/2026Abdul El-Sayed: "Weijia, with all due respect, this is the third time you've asked about a Twitch streamer ... their whole game is to make us fight culture wars so that we don't pay attention to the fact the president has made $2.2 billion ... " 1376339698301
Reposted by Richard Switzermatt | infovoy @infovoy.bsky.social · 13/09/2026Exactly. "Sandbox" my arse. It's only the public and media's ignorance about how all things computer actually work that prevents the AI industry's mix of incompetence, Machiavellian profiteering, and techbro fanboy fantasy-think being obvious. 111928
Richard Switzer @rswitz.bsky.social · 12/09/2026As usual, @doctorow.pluralistic.net provides a rational, oddly reassuring counterpoint to the broadly irrational coverage of this “incident”. Also the point that OpenAI quietly feeding the Skynet narrative helps them raise more investment is such a sign of the deeply weird times we are living in. 000
Reposted by Richard SwitzerLanrick Bennett @lanrickbennett.bsky.social · 11/09/2026✅ A prescription for food and housing w/ Jeff Yoo MD and Andrew Boozary MD h/t @uhn.ca #FridayFlex 917773
Reposted by Richard SwitzerFlavio Volpe, C.M. @flaviovolpe.bsky.social · 07/09/2026We’ve been over this before: Every Global 7500 that Bombardier builds in 🇨🇦 has 2 GE engines built in Indiana, 🇺🇸. Every Challenger that Bombardier builds in 🇨🇦 has 2 Honeywell engines built in Arizona. 🇺🇸. Bombardier employs 3,000+ 🇺🇸s & has 2,800 🇺🇸 suppliers. Not so smart. 100792330
Reposted by Richard SwitzerAlexander Clarkson @aphclarkson.bsky.social · 03/09/2026Struggle to think of political writing in 2026 that can outdo this epic piece by Jan Gerson open.substack.com/pub/theline/... 56322
Reposted by Richard SwitzerJen the Feisty Librarian @feistywaters.com · 01/09/2026Olivia Rodrigo: -planned successful all women music festival -raised 10 million for women’s charities -pro Palestine, anti ICE -is 23 years old Young woman pop stars can use their voices and platforms for change, if they want to. 7968441068
Richard Switzer @rswitz.bsky.social · 29/08/2026@jimbostanford.bsky.social Wrote a short thread here inspired by your CBC radio appearance a few weeks back. Includes Australia’s foray into LNG exports. which I’m sure you’re well aware of. bsky.app/profile/rswi... 100
Reposted by Richard SwitzerDavid Roberts @volts.wtf · 27/08/2026This attempt to demonize Piker & then hang him around the neck of every Dem could not conceivably be more transparent. It's very, very obvious what they're doing. And yet everyone is just dutifully playing their role. The cycle unfolds the same way it has dozens & dozens of times before. 217621
Reposted by Richard SwitzerCalgary Climate Hub @calgaryclimatehub.ca · 31/07/2026Quiet energy revolutions are happening every day with new, post-fossil technologies gaining huge popularity & uptake far faster than our pokey governments can hinder them. Plug-In or Balcony Solar makes it easier for ANYBODY to harness the power of the sun. www.podcastics.com/episode/4282...podcastics.comPlug-in Solar for the PeopleThe Energy Revolution On Your Balcony 03220
Reposted by Richard SwitzerCraig 🌎 🛩️ 💙🇨🇦 @bigdaddykreativ.bsky.social · 25/08/2026Canada's largest ice cream company used to source its fruits and nuts from U.S. suppliers — some for over 30 YEARS. Then, Trump imposed a 25% tariff on Canadian products. So, what did Chapman's do? They called Italy. They called Spain. They signed multi-year contracts with European suppliers. 22836521040
Richard Switzer @rswitz.bsky.social · 24/08/2026“The United States’ … trade deficit only exists because the U.S. buys so much of its energy from [Canada]…. supplying 99% of their natural gas imports, 85% of electricity imports, and 60% of crude oil imports. I don’t think they want us to stop sending it.” share.google/QSLGPXz2zJPG...share.googleCarney says Canada to impose retaliatory tariffs on US goods 011
Richard Switzer @rswitz.bsky.social · 23/08/2026There is one obvious play here, and the established oligopoly won’t like it. bsky.app/profile/70sb... 010
Reposted by Richard SwitzerAstra Taylor @astra.bsky.social · 23/08/2026Every time a right winger points and laughs at a socialist who was born rich, it should be understood as a desperate attempt to justify their own moral failure to themselves. If you grew up rich and are now a leftist and someone points that out, the proper response is: “Yes I am. Why aren’t you?” 338068
Richard Switzer @rswitz.bsky.social · 22/08/2026They are commonly made with pecans, not walnuts fyi. 110
Reposted by Richard SwitzerAlbert Pinto @70sbachchan.bsky.social · 21/04/20261/ "This is the pivot point in the energy transition folks. Fossil chaos drives people to electrotech, as this is the first oil shock with a superior alternative. " says @ember-energy.org @kingsmillbond.bsky.social We argued similarly last week at Wesleyan (slides here) tinyurl.com/PolycrisisWe... 324366
Reposted by Richard SwitzerAlbert Pinto @70sbachchan.bsky.social · 22/08/2026Carney: US’s narrow merchandise trade deficit only exists because US buys so much of its energy from Canada Can fuels US growth, supplying 99% of their natural gas imports, 85% of their electricity imports,60% of their crude oil imports I don’t think they want us to stop sending any of that energy 55324
Richard Switzer @rswitz.bsky.social · 22/08/2026Would be interesting to look at how many former military are running for Democrat noms vs Republican this cycle compared to previous administrations. 020
Richard Switzer @rswitz.bsky.social · 22/08/2026The Trump era will go down as one of the most astonishingly stupid political eras of our time. Gift Link: www.nytimes.com/2026/08/22/w...nytimes.comCarney Stands Up to Trump in U.S.-Canada Trade War (Gift Article)Canada’s prime minister walked away from what he thought was a bad trade deal with the United States. Many Canadians are behind him, but it will be costly. 120
Reposted by Richard SwitzerNaomi Klein @naomiaklein.bsky.social · 20/08/2026Astra Taylor and I wrote this book together because facing the monsters alone is just too scary. When we face them with friends, however, we don’t just get scared–we get mad, we get motivated, and we get organized. 1036487