Simon Lester
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simonlester.com
Simon Lester
@simonlester.com
7.1K followers 720 following 7.3K posts

Founded WorldTradeLaw.net & ChinaTradeMonitor.com Non-Resident Fellow @bakerinstitute.bsky.social

Trade Policy feed: https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:xqzu2eazvxb5fohoc4nap33y/feed/aaab5ctu4u4fc

Videos
Political science 43%
Economics 28%
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simonlester.com
Simon Lester @simonlester.com · Apr 3
I see lots of new followers popping up today. I assume you are here for the trade policy, in which case you might like my custom trade policy feed: bsky.app/profile/did:...

Reposted by W. Andy Knight, Gerald Friedman, Mark Rice , and 1 more

carlquintanilla.bsky.social
Carl Quintanilla @carlquintanilla.bsky.social · 4h
LETTERMAN: “.. CBS News is a wreck. It’s just gone. .. The integrity of CBS News .. has been trampled on, pissed on and eviscerated by these idiots that have taken it over.”

@letterman.bsky.social $PSKY
youtu.be/CHYksa07oQA?...

Reposted by Simon Lester

justinhendrix.bsky.social
Justin Hendrix @justinhendrix.bsky.social · 6h
Indonesia might be the first country to block Grok altogether over the AI-generated nonconsensual imagery disaster. It may not be the last. A bit unclear from this article but I think it's Grok, not X, that has been blocked. www.reuters.com/legal/litiga...
Indonesia temporarily blocks access to Grok over sexualised images
Indonesia temporarily blocked Elon Musk's Grok chatbot on Saturday due to the risk of AI-generated pornographic content, becoming the first country to deny access to the AI tool.
www.reuters.com

simonlester.com
Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 6h
If the billionaires are worried about communism, they might want to speak up about the Trump administration taking ownership stakes in private companies.
justinhendrix.bsky.social Justin Hendrix @justinhendrix.bsky.social · 6h
Billionaires in a "Save California" Signal chat call a 5% wealth tax "Communism," the WSJ reports. "Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, who lives in the Bay Area and now has a roughly $150 billion nest egg, has said he was fine with the tax." www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
The Signal Chat Where Silicon Valley Is Plotting Against California’s Billionaire Tax
Tech elite exchange criticism and tips about a wealth-tax proposal that has sent some billionaires shopping for homes elsewhere.
www.wsj.com

Reposted by Rosemary A. Joyce, Simon Lester

justinhendrix.bsky.social
Justin Hendrix @justinhendrix.bsky.social · 6h
Billionaires in a "Save California" Signal chat call a 5% wealth tax "Communism," the WSJ reports. "Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, who lives in the Bay Area and now has a roughly $150 billion nest egg, has said he was fine with the tax." www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
The Signal Chat Where Silicon Valley Is Plotting Against California’s Billionaire Tax
Tech elite exchange criticism and tips about a wealth-tax proposal that has sent some billionaires shopping for homes elsewhere.
www.wsj.com

Reposted by Simon Lester

stevepeers.bsky.social
Steve Peers @stevepeers.bsky.social · 7h
Irish AI minister deletes X account
www.meathchronicle.ie/2026/01/08/n...
Niamh Smyth deletes X-account | Meath Chronicle
Smyth in protest of the social media platform’s nudification features
www.meathchronicle.ie

simonlester.com
Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 9h
Putting aside the merits of the new federal nutrition and diet recommendations, when the actual president is very publicly following a fast food-based eating regimen, I'm not sure the guidelines developed by his underlings are going to have much impact.

Reposted by Simon Lester

erictopol.bsky.social
Eric Topol @erictopol.bsky.social · 9h
Good summary of lack of evidence and potential for harm of components of the recommended diet
www.technologyreview.com/2026/01/08/1... by @jesshamzelou.bsky.social
America’s new dietary guidelines ignore decades of scientific research
An emphasis on fruit, vegetables, and whole foods is welcome—but it’s wrong to suggest steak and beef tallow should be prominent.
www.technologyreview.com

Reposted by Robert Wolfe

simonlester.com
Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 9h
Helpful new piece from the Congressional Research Service: "USMCA Joint Review: Process and Role of Congress"

www.congress.gov/crs_external...
www.congress.gov

Reposted by Simon Lester

tpgroberts.bsky.social
Tom Roberts @tpgroberts.bsky.social · 11h
There's a lot to disagree with in this piece, but honestly, I kind of love this bit?

"Look, if I leave, it will just be the perverts and paedophiles, so I have to stay here with the perverts and paedophiles."
Despite everything, I’m resisting the urge to log off X. Not because I endorse anything Musk has done, but because I refuse to let the predators win. If every woman deletes her account, what are we left with? A degenerate echo-chamber where perverts and paedophiles are welcome, provided they pay an entry fee? That helps no one. In fact, I suspect that the more of us leave, the more this kind behaviour will escalate.

Reposted by Dorothy Bishop, Axel Bruns, Jonathan A. Foley , and 6 more

the-independent.com
The Independent @the-independent.com · 12h
If women quit X because of Grok’s deepfake nudes, the predators win – so I’m staying
If women quit X because of Grok’s deepfake nudes, the predators win – so I’m staying
If women quit X because of Grok’s deepfake nudes, the predators win – so I’m staying
www.independent.co.uk

Reposted by Simon Lester

jm539581.bsky.social
JM =^) @jm539581.bsky.social · 20h
There's something in the air tonight... Fernando!!

Reposted by Simon Lester

peark.es
George Pearkes @peark.es · 22h
Not going to explain the 10% credit card interest cap thing because it’s never going to happen, don’t waste your time thinking about it.

Reposted by Simon Lester

patgallen.bsky.social
Pat Gallen @patgallen.bsky.social · 22h
Would Indiana winning be more or less mind-blowing than Leicester City winning the Premier League?

Reposted by Anne Applebaum, Kim L. Scheppele, Elizabeth Sharrow , and 21 more

atrupar.com
Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 23h
We evacuated our kids out of Minneapolis this weekend and my spouse reports that as she drove them out of town she saw "multiple freeway exits where people are being pulled over." It feels like the Twin Cities is being subjugated by a hostile occupying force.

Reposted by Simon Lester

queenofcarbs.bsky.social
Bread Queen @queenofcarbs.bsky.social · 23h
There’s already a bill for that (but for more than 1 year). Introduced by @sanders.senate.gov

simonlester.com
Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 23h
Good to see this recent usage pickup, which sets up us nicely for a winter Olympics surge.
conorsen.bsky.social Conor Sen @conorsen.bsky.social · 1d
A bit of a pickup in activity here lately:

Reposted by Simon Lester

cjzero.bsky.social
CJ Fogler @cjzero.bsky.social · 1d
And we're starting the game with a pick six!

Reposted by Simon Lester

conorsen.bsky.social
Conor Sen @conorsen.bsky.social · 1d
A bit of a pickup in activity here lately:

simonlester.com
Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 1d
I'm watching someone go through something similar right now, and my sense is that everyone tries to handle it the best they can and I'm sure you are too!

simonlester.com
Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 1d
If we don't "take Greenland," it will remain a territory of our close ally Denmark (or become independent if it wants), and either way the US will have all the access it needs for security purposes.
atrupar.com Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 1d
Trump: "If we don't take Greenland, you're gonna have Russia or China as your next door neighbor. That's not going to happen."

Reposted by Ken Caldeira, Steve Peers, David R. Miller , and 1 more

atrupar.com
Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 1d
Trump: "If we don't take Greenland, you're gonna have Russia or China as your next door neighbor. That's not going to happen."

Reposted by David S. Cohen, Michael Kevane, Simon Lester , and 1 more

paleofuture.bsky.social
Matt Novak @paleofuture.bsky.social · 1d
That was my takeaway too. She's clearly turning the wheel to her right.

I've slowed the video down here.

Reposted by Juan Cole, Henry Jones, Andrew Rudalevige , and 3 more

theonion.com
The Onion @theonion.com · 1d
DHS Releases Watchlist Of Mothers Driving Cars https://theonion.com/dhs-releases-watchlist-of-mothers-driving-cars/
DHS Releases Watchlist Of Mothers Driving Cars

Reposted by Steven Heydemann, Marc Goergen, Michael A. Clemens , and 19 more

thetnholler.bsky.social
The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 1d
🚨 NEW VIDEO 👇🏽This puts an end to all the lies. Horrific.

They were having a calm exchange seconds before he murdered Renee Good, and she was barely moving and clearly avoiding him.

Stop the lies.

simonlester.com
Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 1d
Congrats!

Reposted by David R. Miller, Simon Lester

atrupar.com
Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 1d
Q: Is this ICE officer immune to charges?

HENNEPIN COUNTY ATTORNEY MORIARTY: I can't speak to why the Trump administration says what it says. I can say the ICE officer does not have complete immunity here.

simonlester.com
Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 1d
Next day for IEEPA tariff ruling watching is Jan 14.
mcpli.bsky.social Michael Li (李之樸) @mcpli.bsky.social · 1d
NEW: The Supreme Court has announced that it will have more opinions next Wednesday, January 14.

simonlester.com
Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 1d
She may have been so focused on the guy yelling at her from the side that she didn't see the one in front of her.

Reposted by Simon Lester

mcpli.bsky.social
Michael Li (李之樸) @mcpli.bsky.social · 1d
NEW: The Supreme Court has announced that it will have more opinions next Wednesday, January 14.

Reposted by Simon Lester

radleybalko.bsky.social
Radley Balko @radleybalko.bsky.social · 1d
I’m convinced that Good’s car never struck Ross. But even if it did, that doesn’t settle anything. If he should have known she was trying to flee, or if he put himself in front of her car in violation of policy (seems clear that he did), both would still undermine a self-defense claim.