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WrittenOnRocks

@writtenonrocks.bsky.social
415 followers 694 following 195 posts

Writing poetry, sometimes fiction. Always reading. Ever curious. Sometimes politics spills over, but I try to wipe it up quick! These posts are here today, gone tomorrow. Delete-Delete-Delete.

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Jared Wesley @jaredwesley.ca · 05/10/2026
There are two weeks to go in the Alberta referendum campaign. Not sure where to turn for information to make your choice? The Peter Lougheed School of Politics and Democracy at the University of Alberta has you covered. www.ualberta.ca/en/peter-lou...
ualberta.ca
Compendium of Referendum Sources
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Pembina Institute @pembina.org · 03/10/2026
In Europe, consumers can choose from more than 20 #EV models priced below $40K. In Canada, there are only a handful. 🤯 Strong vehicle pollution rules would encourage competition and give automakers the incentive they need to bring more affordable #ElectricVehicles to Canada.🍁 #cdnpoli
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Jared Wesley @jaredwesley.ca · 03/10/2026
More confirmation and details of the deep ties between Alberta separatists and Trump Republicans. They are part of the same far-right populist movement. And the Americans are deeply involved in promoting disunity in Canada. www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...
theglobeandmail.com
The elephant in the room
Alberta separatists have gone to D.C. offering fresh water and oil in exchange for American support – and Republican operatives have provided tactical assistance inside the province
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The Walrus @thewalrus.ca · 03/10/2026
Payment processors connect merchants, banks, and credit card companies, moving around information about who we are, what we buy, and where we go. “That’s deeply personal information that we wouldn’t want to see going into the wrong hands,” says Douglas Sarro. thewalrus.ca/selling-moneris
On the left: Photo of a person tapping a credit card on a card reader. On the right: text that reads “What does the sale of Moneris mean for data sovereignty? Moneris manages one in three Canadian payments. US private equity is buying it.”
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Duane Bratt🇨🇦 @duanebratt.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Harper: "No one will be surprised to learn that I am against separation. That would involve much risk and be extremely difficult to bring about. Besides, there is nothing resembling the credible leadership necessary to establish a new country."
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Eugene Vinitsky 🍒 @eugenevinitsky.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
A rich person can never be held accountable. Therefore, a rich person must never make a societal decision
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WrittenOnRocks @writtenonrocks.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Calgary Public Library sending out pleas for donations because books are so costly. All while pumping out AI boosterism in the form of this AI Artist in residence. It's like my emails to them saying I am not donating anymore fall on AI ears. www.calgarylibrary.ca/library-news...
calgarylibrary.ca
Using AI as a Collaborative Tool to Create Artwork | Calgary Public Library
Donate
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WrittenOnRocks @writtenonrocks.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Danielle Smith has never encountered a bad idea that she didn't wholeheartedly embrace. And if you don't believe me, I'm sure Danielle has a few snotty tissues and some crocodile tears to lubricate your slide into gullibility. #Alberta
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Schrödinger's Sneetch Belly @rtodkelly.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Please know that this is one of my few legitimate areas of actual, high-level professional expertise: Kicking the healthiest people off of a health insurance program will bankrupt it. Not 'could;' not 'might,' not 'probably," but absolutely will, with mathematical certainty.
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🇨🇦Joe Vipond🇨🇦 @jvipondmd.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
new @albertasvoice.ca website just dropped. Check it out! whatcouldweget.ca
whatcouldweget.ca
What Could We Get for $134 Million?
What could Alberta get for $134.3 million instead of a referendum?
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Senator Paula Simons 🇨🇦 @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
I keep meeting smart informed Albertans who tell me they do not intend to vote, because they don’t want to legitimize the process, or because they know the premier is not bound by the results. But what if making us give up on voting is the whole point? My argument to vote - no matter the absurdity.
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Gabino Iglesias @gabino.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
An accurate representation of my novels.
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Avi Lewis @avilewis.ca · 18/09/2026
Earlier this week, Prime Minister Carney announced his plans to privatize Canada’s largest airports. So, I went to YVR to ask Canadians what they think (spoiler: they don’t share his enthusiasm). youtu.be/NTz8q0rKGdI
youtu.be
NDP Leader Avi Lewis asks Canadians: Should our airports be privatized?
YouTube video by Avi Lewis
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Robson Fletcher @robsonfletcher.com · 20/09/2026
Canada's new time zones are confusing and hilarious. (Here's data journalist @graemebruce.bsky.social trying to make it make sense: www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...)
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Charles Rusnell @charlesrusnell.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
For the sake of basic accuracy, shouldn't the lede say Smith recounted a long list of what she claimed were historic indignities. Or has Canadian Press decided Albertans have suffered at the hands of the federal government? Basic journalism failure here. Sheesh.
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Isaiah Bishop @isaiahbishop.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
I was listening to good talk with mansbridge, and chantal hebert delivering completely flatly "if i muted pierre from my social media, i wouldnt miss any part of the national conversation" is maybe the funniest thing ive heard about canadian politics in a while
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Hazie @hazie.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
SARS-CoV-2 was detected 98.3% of air samples at airports! ITS COVID. MASK UP WITH AN N95 OR BETTER! “Airports, as major international travel hubs with dense, enclosed populations, are high-risk settings for disease transmission and potential pathogens” journals.plos.org/globalpublic...
journals.plos.org
Multimodal genomic surveillance for respiratory pathogens at four U.S. international airports: A comparison of air, wastewater, clinical, and national surveillance data
Early detection of outbreaks and emerging pathogens is critical for public health and global biosecurity. Airports, as major international travel hubs with dense, enclosed populations, are high-risk s...
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cm 🍁 @cmcalgary.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Today the UCP released a report they had commissioned from the University of Calgary School of Public Policy on the potential impacts of #Alberta separation from Canada. It has two potential outcomes, a smooth scenario and a difficult scenario, both of which are pretty bleak. PDF: tr.ee/RsvN3X
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Eleanor Olszewski (OL-SHEV-skee) 🇨🇦 @eleanorolszewski.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
The economic cost of Alberta separation would be severe. Lower wages, job losses, and tax increases of over $6000 per Albertan to pay for it all. This is the sobering reality that separatism could lead to, according to today’s University of Calgary report.
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Jared Wesley @jaredwesley.ca · 15/09/2026
This is an excellent resource on all 10 referendum questions. abreferendum.dignityforum.org
abreferendum.dignityforum.org
The 2026 Alberta Referendum: the facts about all 10 questions — Dignity Forum
Alberta’s 2026 referendum asks voters whether temporary residents should face higher costs — or reduced access — for healthcare and education systems. Explore the facts before you vote on October 19.
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Jared Wesley @jaredwesley.ca · 15/09/2026
You can learn more about the referendums here: beforevoting.ca
beforevoting.ca
Before You Vote | Make Informed Choices Now
Explore unbiased, fact-based insights on Alberta's referendum questions to make informed voting decisions. Before you vote, learn about separation, immigration, and constitutional issues.
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Jared Wesley @jaredwesley.ca · 15/09/2026
I wrote one here. drjaredwesley.substack.com/p/ten-questi...
drjaredwesley.substack.com
Ten Questions, One Real Decision
Albertans must choose between grievance or governing
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WrittenOnRocks @writtenonrocks.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
I am talking to folks who plan to vote but finding AB referendum Qs quite confusing. Where is there plain language guide to their meaning? Elections AB is no help. They are all about citing legislation 🙄 @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social @jaredwesley.ca @duanebratt.bsky.social @lukaszukab.bsky.social
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Whale Road Review @whaleroadreview.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
This Fall 2026 issue feels so tender and intimate... www.whaleroadreview.com/issue-44-fal...
whaleroadreview.com
Issue 44 / Fall 2026
This Fall 2026 issue feels so tender and intimate. Although the writing contains many common poetic images and topics (the moon, birds, fear, loss, love, and language itself all make appearances), …
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WrittenOnRocks @writtenonrocks.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
Choosing not to meet with constituents is a behaviour common to many conservative elected representatives. Is this chickens coming home to roost?
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Aaron Wherry @aaronwherry.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
For those who didn't catch Jean Chrétien's remarks to the Gander 9/11 commemoration... www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
cbc.ca
Jean Chrétien says ‘we bow to no one’ in stirring 9/11 speech in Gander, N.L. | CBC News
Former Canadian prime minister Jean Chrétien drew thunderous applause on Friday during a fiery and patriotic speech in Gander, N.L, where many had gathered at a sports arena to commemorate the 25th an...
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daryl "rupert pumpkin" b 🏳️‍⚧️ @hypercubexl.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
GDT's reddit AMA spitting fire www.reddit.com/r/movies/com...
reddit comment: 

Hello! Did you intend the ending of Pan’s labyrinth to be real or in Ofelia’s mind?

Guillermo Del Toro's reply: 

My interpretation, and it's exclusively mine, is that it's real.

Because there's two things. One is what people call “The Shining Question.” The Shining Question is, Who opens the door for Jack to get out of the fridge? And Ofelia is in an attic with a guard outside her door, and she draws the door with the magic chalk, and she shows up in the labyrinth. So, the only way she could have gone into the labyrinth is the magic chalk. And the flower is real at the end. The flower that blooms in the dead tree. And the reason I think it’s real is because—and this is why I'm in favor of the human factor in art—I think that art does transform the world. You know?

Think about it for a second. One of the goals, with all this movement, is to make you believe that art is vulgar. That art is nothing special, and anybody can do art. That is like me telling you that I'm faster at running than Usain Bolt but I “run” in my motorcycle. Well, that's not the same. That’s not the same at all.

Art is important, and they want you to believe it isn't. It's part of the idea of control. The goal is not to have artificial intelligence. The goal is to foster natural stupidity. The goal is to foster you not looking for answers, and to trust yourself entirely to an engine. Look at the way we are dipping our toes into these things. We are starting to ask the machine, Is this true? For now, there's a correlation between reality and what the answers of the machine are. For now. But soon, we won't even investigate further. We will be told it's true. And if the machine is in the hands of somebody who should not be trusted, then your reality has been completely and utterly fucked. Because your intelligence ends at the question. You don't seek the answer. It's given to you.Q: You recently mentioned that AI creates 'semi-compelling screensavers' and that you'd 'rather die' than use it. As a filmmaker who relies heavily on practical effects and creature design, what do you think is the biggest thing lost when a computer generates an image instead of a human hand?

GDT:

The three quarters of the process that gave you the chance to think of the idea that people don't think about without that process. Meaning, AI can get you to the middle really fast, but there's a dialectic with the process that gets you to that top 10%. I'll give you an example with the Pale Man.

We sculpted it as an old man, with a face. And then I said, Let's take out the face. This happened because I saw a photo of a manta ray and the poster for Don Coscarelli’s Phantasm. That combination, which happened at two different times during a week or a month, are not permutations that are chemically part of an equation. They are alchemy. And then I said, Take out the face, and then I said, Let's put the eyes on the hands. This triangulation happens because I spent a month or two months living with the idea of this creature. And it's not linear.

AI is like a super-fast engine that makes semi-sentient permutations of things that are already done. Creation is things that have never been done. Coming to exist.

And the second thing is the loss of the apprenticeship that one has as an artist. You're never a master; you're always an apprentice. This is a kinship I have with, for example, Chris Nolan. When he showed me The Odyssey, there’s a scene when Matt Damon is floating in the stormy ocean and I asked him—because we were talking about practical effects, and how great it is and that we both always use a maquette or a model—and I asked him, How did you do it? He said, “We put him in a storm in the ocean.”

And you're gonna find that 30% of a great image occurs accidentally. You know, either a drop of water hits the lens, or the camera shakes. I remember when in 1993, '94, Jim…
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WrittenOnRocks @writtenonrocks.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
madeincanada.dev
madeincanada.dev
Made in Canada — Discover Canadian-made products
Find and support Canadian-made products. Search verified Canadian brands across clothing, food, home, beauty and more — each product's origin is checked from its stated Made-in-Canada signals.
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Duane Bratt🇨🇦 @duanebratt.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
An economist’s defence of trade retaliation by @gkfellows.bsky.social open.substack.com/pub/theline/... This is a really good piece. Almost like it was written by an economist (almost). I would also add that this is not just about trade, but about Trump's efforts to subjugate Canada
open.substack.com
G. Kent Fellows: An economist’s defence of trade retaliation
Even Adam Smith knew that sometimes you have to punch the bully in the nose
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The Breakdown AB @thebreakdownab.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
So basically… The National Observer found a bunch of websites designed to confuse voters as poison AI that had possible linkages to Keith Wilson’s “Let Alberta Decide”… And when they asked for comment those websites suddenly went offline. Cool. www.nationalobserver.com/2026/09/04/i...
nationalobserver.com
A US-linked network of fake websites is promoting Alberta separatism to AI chatbots
The websites present crude, AI-generated slop disguised as the voice of real Albertans. But they're made in Florida — and they're not even targeting Albertans directly.
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Charles Rusnell @charlesrusnell.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Bruce McAllister is a senior advisor to Alberta's premier. He hosted the anti-immigrant Alberta Next Panels. He attacked Senator Paula Simons for calling out the racist referendum questions. Now he's openly supporting an extremist white nationalist party's racist anti-immigration policy.
Bruce McAllister: Finally someone on a major stage saying it out loud instead of hiding behind slogans. Shout it from the rooftops please Alice!
You can’t run a welfare state, bring in millions who need support, and keep energy prices this high without the books blowing up. It’s also tearing up the social fabric and native culture. People are waking up. Now watch the mainstream media ignore all of it - while twisting themselves into pretzels labelling her alt-right anyway.Shannon Phillips: The AfD is the far-right party in Germany that German intelligence services have classified as extremists, Bruce. 

Multiple intelligence services have documented AfD ties to the Kremlin. 

@ABDanielleSmith
 maybe come back from holidays to check in on Bruce. He’s unwell. 
#ableg
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Flavio Volpe, C.M. @flaviovolpe.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
We’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.
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Jared Wesley @jaredwesley.ca · 06/09/2026
Are you skeptical of the Smith government's claims that immigrants are to blame for their own mismanagement of our social, health, and education systems? You should be. Check out this website to educate and equip yourself to fight back in this fall's referendum. ouralbertaadvantage.ca
ouralbertaadvantage.ca
Stop Premier Smith’s Scapegoating of Immigrants
Premier Danielle Smith is scapegoating immigrants to hide her own failures. Vote NO on her racist referendum.
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Senator Paula Simons 🇨🇦 @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
There seems to be a bit of misinformation circulating on social media about my latest @albertaviews.bsky.social column and what it actually says. So perhaps you’d like to read it for yourself and draw your own conclusions. (Feel free to share, it you are so moved.) #ableg #abpoli #Canada #cdnpoli
albertaviews.ca
Alberta's Referendum Questions - The Noxious Nine - Alberta Views
Nine disingenuous, malicious referendum questions, push-polls, designed to incite social division and undermine confidence in the country.
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Colin Duggan 🇨🇦 @bailefios.ca · 01/09/2026
Outside of a mention of ACCO, it should be noted that Hilroy Canada is owned by the publicly traded company ACCO Brands Corp, based in Delaware, United States. Regardless of the map being accurate, buy something else. Elbows Up, folks. There are plenty of cheap scribblers from Europe, Canada & Asia
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WrittenOnRocks @writtenonrocks.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Ah. The good old days when Hilroy was still a Canadian company and Newfoundland still appeared on the scribbler's map of Canada.
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WrittenOnRocks @writtenonrocks.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
You had me never wanting to see this when you mentioned Depp. The billionaire-washing just seals the deal
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United For Canada - UnitedFor.CA 🇨🇦 @unitedfor.ca · 30/08/2026
Three facts: (1) There are no citizen-led petitions this October. Elections Alberta rejected the only one (@waternotcoalab.bsky.social). (2) ALL referenda were written and put forward by Premier Smith and her team. (3) No one asked for these questions. #ableg #abpoli #UnitedForCanada
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ScarletCoral @scarletcoral.ca · 24/08/2026
He's just jealous of Bonhomme
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Krista D Ball is Canada's Spooky Potato @kristadb1.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
The biggest issue we have in Alberta is that we'll get 20% turnout on the referendum to hold a referendum, and that 20% will be only separatists. That's literally the real risk.
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Kikki Planet @kikkiplanet.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
If Poilievre can’t stand up to a backbencher MP who is running amok and making a fool of Poilievre on an international stage, how the hell does anyone think he could stand up to Trump? A leader who can’t control his own messy caucus doesn’t have the gravitas to deal with a hostile USA admin.
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Andrew Weinstein @andrewjweinstein.com · 22/08/2026
I’m still trying to process how the president of the United States somehow talks tougher about Canada than North Korea.
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Dr Lindsay Tedds @lindsaytedds.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
Lutnick just out there lying. Despite best attempts, Canadian unionization rates in this section are 2-3times higher than the US. Again, despite best efforts to undo them.
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The Beaverton @thebeaverton.com · 14/08/2026
“I would never have agreed to be a diplomat in Canada if I knew I’d have to be diplomatic to Canadians,” says Pete Hoekstra
thebeaverton.com
"I would never have agreed to be a diplomat in Canada if I knew I'd have to be diplomatic to Canadians," says Pete Hoekstra
OTTAWA - Tensions between Canada and the United States flared this week when US Ambassador Pete Hoekstra was captured on a live microphone admitting that he regretted his decision to accept a diplomatic post in Canada, citing his lack of interest in being diplomatic toward Canadians.
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Mad (Social) Scientist 🇨🇦 @jemburch.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
Not to worry, everyone - companies will soon be required to perform a 'privacy impact assessment' before sending all your personal information to the US. www.cbc.ca/news/politic...
cbc.ca
A Canadian payment giant is being sold to U.S. private equity. Is your digital privacy at risk? | CBC News
Royal Bank of Canada and Bank of Montreal are selling payment processor Moneris Solutions Corp. to San Francisco-based investment firm Francisco Partners. Some analysts are raising concerns around wha...
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Jen the Feisty Librarian @feistywaters.com · 13/08/2026
You can stop reading the Harry Potter books, watching the movies, playing the games, I promise you’ll be okay. There’s a whole big world out there with other books and stuff.
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Conor Browne @brownecfm.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
'Furthermore, vaccinated and subsequently challenged cohorts failed to transmit the virus to naïve animals, demonstrating a *complete block of onward transmission*'. * my emphasis. Extraordinarily promising research. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
nature.com
A single-dose amber codon carrying live attenuated vaccine elicits pan-sarbecovirus immunity and blocks SARS-CoV-2 transmission - npj Vaccines
npj Vaccines - A single-dose amber codon carrying live attenuated vaccine elicits pan-sarbecovirus immunity and blocks SARS-CoV-2 transmission
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Hypervisible @hypervisible.blacksky.app · 29/07/2026
Hey where have I seen this one before.
reuters.com
Explainer: What are credit default swaps and why are they spooking AI investors?
Shares in companies driving the AI boom have been under pressure for weeks. Now their bonds are coming ​under strain too, pushing up the cost of insuring debt issued by companies such as Oracle , Nvid...
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WrittenOnRocks @writtenonrocks.bsky.social · 26/07/2026
I thought the non-stop FIFA was bad. But then along came Odyssey.
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