Patrick Galey
@patrickgaley.bsky.social
Anti-Fascist. Anthropocene Pepys. Gen AI Cassandra. Journalist taking names on the fossil fuel industry and its role in the climate, energy, and cost of greed crises.
Other than that, mainly dogs and cycling
Other than that, mainly dogs and cycling
Pinned
Patrick Galey
@patrickgaley.bsky.social
· Oct 16
The Secret Lies of AI
I recently listened to an excellent podcast from the team at QAA, investigating a phenomenon that is both at once very new and extremely…
medium.com
With Forbes warning the Gen AI bubble bursting will wipe $40 trillion off global markets, I wrote about the foundational lies the industry tells about the usefulness, durability, accuracy and - yes - intelligence of its products
All of which are weapons-grade horseshit
medium.com/@patchgaley/...
All of which are weapons-grade horseshit
medium.com/@patchgaley/...
SOME GOOD NEWS! BUENAS NOTICIAS!
Venezuela announces it has freed a "significant number" of opposition figures from jail.
We must savour good moments, even in the darkness, lest we lose sight of what better resembles
elpais.com/expres/2026-...
Venezuela announces it has freed a "significant number" of opposition figures from jail.
We must savour good moments, even in the darkness, lest we lose sight of what better resembles
elpais.com/expres/2026-...
Venezuela excarcela presos (entre ellos, varios españoles) mientras Trump dice que su tutela sobre el país puede durar años
El régimen venezolano ha liberado a un “número importante” de reclusos como “gesto de paz unilateral”. Entre ellos, hay cinco españoles, según confirm
elpais.com
January 9, 2026 at 11:14 AM
SOME GOOD NEWS! BUENAS NOTICIAS!
Venezuela announces it has freed a "significant number" of opposition figures from jail.
We must savour good moments, even in the darkness, lest we lose sight of what better resembles
elpais.com/expres/2026-...
Venezuela announces it has freed a "significant number" of opposition figures from jail.
We must savour good moments, even in the darkness, lest we lose sight of what better resembles
elpais.com/expres/2026-...
Question for people who actually believe in the rules-based order:
How many more sovereign nations will he invade, how many heads of state will he kidnap, before you consider boycotting this demented man and his rotten country?
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
How many more sovereign nations will he invade, how many heads of state will he kidnap, before you consider boycotting this demented man and his rotten country?
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
‘I don’t need international law’: Trump says power constrained only by ‘my own morality’
President says morality ‘the only thing that can stop me’ in New York Times interview on limits to his authority
www.theguardian.com
January 9, 2026 at 9:26 AM
Question for people who actually believe in the rules-based order:
How many more sovereign nations will he invade, how many heads of state will he kidnap, before you consider boycotting this demented man and his rotten country?
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
How many more sovereign nations will he invade, how many heads of state will he kidnap, before you consider boycotting this demented man and his rotten country?
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
VZ oil: poor quality, hard and expensive to extract, therefore mainly sold to under sanctions regimes to teapot refineries at -/+ $30/bbl
Trump: we will pay you $50/bbl. Bargain.
The universe-brain of these people
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Trump: we will pay you $50/bbl. Bargain.
The universe-brain of these people
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Trump plans to use Venezuela’s huge crude reserves ‘to cut US oil price to $50 a barrel’
President reportedly hopes falling price will cut domestic consumer energy bills
www.theguardian.com
January 8, 2026 at 8:03 PM
VZ oil: poor quality, hard and expensive to extract, therefore mainly sold to under sanctions regimes to teapot refineries at -/+ $30/bbl
Trump: we will pay you $50/bbl. Bargain.
The universe-brain of these people
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Trump: we will pay you $50/bbl. Bargain.
The universe-brain of these people
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
The claim the US "controls" Venezeula's oil is horse shit.
Maduro and Diosdado spent 15 years arming 1000s collectivos to the teeth to provide "security" for oil production, so Vance is claiming to either:
a) killed them all
b) taken over their pay cheques www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...
Maduro and Diosdado spent 15 years arming 1000s collectivos to the teeth to provide "security" for oil production, so Vance is claiming to either:
a) killed them all
b) taken over their pay cheques www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...
Venezuela open to oil deal, says Rodríguez, as Vance claims US ‘controls’ country’s resources
The Trump administration is asserting control over Venezuelan oil, after seizing a pair of sanctioned tankers on Wednesday
www.theguardian.com
January 8, 2026 at 9:38 AM
The claim the US "controls" Venezeula's oil is horse shit.
Maduro and Diosdado spent 15 years arming 1000s collectivos to the teeth to provide "security" for oil production, so Vance is claiming to either:
a) killed them all
b) taken over their pay cheques www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...
Maduro and Diosdado spent 15 years arming 1000s collectivos to the teeth to provide "security" for oil production, so Vance is claiming to either:
a) killed them all
b) taken over their pay cheques www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...
"No investor, no public company that has shareholders can put their capital to work in a country that doesn’t have real laws and takes profits and confiscates assets"
Trump will have to underwrite everything, which means taxpayers will have to underwrite everything
www.ft.com/content/84e0...
Trump will have to underwrite everything, which means taxpayers will have to underwrite everything
www.ft.com/content/84e0...
US oil groups warn they will need guarantees to invest in Venezuela
Donald Trump to hold more talks with industry bosses as president flexes power over energy markets
www.ft.com
January 8, 2026 at 9:22 AM
"No investor, no public company that has shareholders can put their capital to work in a country that doesn’t have real laws and takes profits and confiscates assets"
Trump will have to underwrite everything, which means taxpayers will have to underwrite everything
www.ft.com/content/84e0...
Trump will have to underwrite everything, which means taxpayers will have to underwrite everything
www.ft.com/content/84e0...
I’m not buying this idea that 350 million Americans are totally blameless, nothing to be done, who could have thought the mob boss who repeatedly said “I’m going to eat you” would actually act like a mob boss the 2nd time around etc
Some of you must at least tolerate this neocon mad cowboy shit
Some of you must at least tolerate this neocon mad cowboy shit
January 8, 2026 at 8:57 AM
I’m not buying this idea that 350 million Americans are totally blameless, nothing to be done, who could have thought the mob boss who repeatedly said “I’m going to eat you” would actually act like a mob boss the 2nd time around etc
Some of you must at least tolerate this neocon mad cowboy shit
Some of you must at least tolerate this neocon mad cowboy shit
Come join us for a chat on #Venezuela, with some excellent people and a variety of views that hopefully can shed some light on what got us here and where we go.
We’re still not asking the right questions, and we need to hold all governments closer to account on their fossil fuel activity
We’re still not asking the right questions, and we need to hold all governments closer to account on their fossil fuel activity
Independent journalist Joshua De Freitas Hernández,
@patrickgaley.bsky.social of @globalwitness.org , @marielozada.bsky.social of @climatechangenews.com , and Isabella Reimi of Argus Media will join CCNow as panelists. CCNow's executive director for strategic initiatives, Kyle Pope, will moderate.
@patrickgaley.bsky.social of @globalwitness.org , @marielozada.bsky.social of @climatechangenews.com , and Isabella Reimi of Argus Media will join CCNow as panelists. CCNow's executive director for strategic initiatives, Kyle Pope, will moderate.
January 7, 2026 at 9:09 PM
Come join us for a chat on #Venezuela, with some excellent people and a variety of views that hopefully can shed some light on what got us here and where we go.
We’re still not asking the right questions, and we need to hold all governments closer to account on their fossil fuel activity
We’re still not asking the right questions, and we need to hold all governments closer to account on their fossil fuel activity
Reposted by Patrick Galey
📣Webinar: Now that the US has claimed control of Venezuela's oil reserves, what’s next? And what will it mean for the continued urgency of phasing out fossil fuels? Join us 1/8 at 12pm ET for a rapid-response webinar with experts & journalists from the region. us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
January 7, 2026 at 8:16 PM
📣Webinar: Now that the US has claimed control of Venezuela's oil reserves, what’s next? And what will it mean for the continued urgency of phasing out fossil fuels? Join us 1/8 at 12pm ET for a rapid-response webinar with experts & journalists from the region. us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Venezuela's oil infrastucture is literally falling apart, with rusting pipes, tanks, leaky wells, and chronic shortages of basic maintenance and repair capital
If you were to pick the worst, most expensive-to-fix oil system imaginable, you'd have invaded VZ www.ft.com/content/cef0...
If you were to pick the worst, most expensive-to-fix oil system imaginable, you'd have invaded VZ www.ft.com/content/cef0...
The ‘catastrophic’ state of Venezuela’s oil facilities
Donald Trump wants a Venezuelan oil reboot. But years of neglect have left corroded tanks, leaking pipelines and collapsing production
www.ft.com
January 7, 2026 at 2:03 PM
Venezuela's oil infrastucture is literally falling apart, with rusting pipes, tanks, leaky wells, and chronic shortages of basic maintenance and repair capital
If you were to pick the worst, most expensive-to-fix oil system imaginable, you'd have invaded VZ www.ft.com/content/cef0...
If you were to pick the worst, most expensive-to-fix oil system imaginable, you'd have invaded VZ www.ft.com/content/cef0...
Reposted by Patrick Galey
This is why I think people talking about "Venezuelan oil 'paying' for military intervention" have the wrong idea. It's not about accumulation for the state its about accumulation for capitalists.
If you're angry about the idea of paying for oil company opex in Venezuela to produce petrocaca that the market doesn't need and the climate cannot take, you're going to be furious about the amount you already pay to keep fossil fuel companies even viable www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Trump suggests US taxpayers could reimburse oil firms for Venezuela investment
President says a ‘tremendous amount of money’ will need to be spent repairing country’s infrastructure
www.theguardian.com
January 7, 2026 at 11:37 AM
This is why I think people talking about "Venezuelan oil 'paying' for military intervention" have the wrong idea. It's not about accumulation for the state its about accumulation for capitalists.
Reposted by Patrick Galey
Great @olliemilman.bsky.social + @dharna.bsky.social piece feat @patrickgaley.bsky.social and others
“So long as governments continue to rely on fossil fuels in energy systems, their constituents will be hostage to the whims of autocrats"
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
“So long as governments continue to rely on fossil fuels in energy systems, their constituents will be hostage to the whims of autocrats"
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
Trump taking ‘drill, baby, drill’ plan to Venezuela ‘terrible’ for climate, experts warn
‘Everybody loses’ if production supercharged in country with largest known oil reserves, critics say
www.theguardian.com
January 7, 2026 at 10:21 AM
Great @olliemilman.bsky.social + @dharna.bsky.social piece feat @patrickgaley.bsky.social and others
“So long as governments continue to rely on fossil fuels in energy systems, their constituents will be hostage to the whims of autocrats"
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
“So long as governments continue to rely on fossil fuels in energy systems, their constituents will be hostage to the whims of autocrats"
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
If you're angry about the idea of paying for oil company opex in Venezuela to produce petrocaca that the market doesn't need and the climate cannot take, you're going to be furious about the amount you already pay to keep fossil fuel companies even viable www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Trump suggests US taxpayers could reimburse oil firms for Venezuela investment
President says a ‘tremendous amount of money’ will need to be spent repairing country’s infrastructure
www.theguardian.com
January 7, 2026 at 9:53 AM
If you're angry about the idea of paying for oil company opex in Venezuela to produce petrocaca that the market doesn't need and the climate cannot take, you're going to be furious about the amount you already pay to keep fossil fuel companies even viable www.theguardian.com/business/202...
As I told @theguardian.com Trump’s bet on #Venezuela oil is dumb, short-termist, climate-damaging and almost impossible to create value from western investment
Only he could hold up a train at gun point and find the treasure replaced by horse shit
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
Only he could hold up a train at gun point and find the treasure replaced by horse shit
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
Trump taking ‘drill, baby, drill’ plan to Venezuela ‘terrible’ for climate, experts warn
‘Everybody loses’ if production supercharged in country with largest known oil reserves, critics say
www.theguardian.com
January 6, 2026 at 5:06 PM
As I told @theguardian.com Trump’s bet on #Venezuela oil is dumb, short-termist, climate-damaging and almost impossible to create value from western investment
Only he could hold up a train at gun point and find the treasure replaced by horse shit
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
Only he could hold up a train at gun point and find the treasure replaced by horse shit
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
It wouldn't surprise me - contrary to what some industry useful idiots are saying (Trump's thinking 30 years ahead here) - that he invaded Venezuela so some of hi mates could make a quick buck on insider trading
Sometimes the bottom of odd is idiocy, not genius
www.theguardian.com/society/2026...
Sometimes the bottom of odd is idiocy, not genius
www.theguardian.com/society/2026...
US traders make big profits betting on Maduro’s capture in January
Arrest of Venezuelan president appears to have been anticipated on ‘prediction markets’ where people bet on future events
www.theguardian.com
January 6, 2026 at 9:20 AM
It wouldn't surprise me - contrary to what some industry useful idiots are saying (Trump's thinking 30 years ahead here) - that he invaded Venezuela so some of hi mates could make a quick buck on insider trading
Sometimes the bottom of odd is idiocy, not genius
www.theguardian.com/society/2026...
Sometimes the bottom of odd is idiocy, not genius
www.theguardian.com/society/2026...
“AI scientists” can’t even define AGI let alone work out how an unthinking internet rephraser is going to randomly archive super intelligence.
It’s 1000 monkeys on 1000 typewriters trying to recreate Dickens: even if by accident all it will ever do is restate
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
It’s 1000 monkeys on 1000 typewriters trying to recreate Dickens: even if by accident all it will ever do is restate
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Leading AI expert delays timeline for its possible destruction of humanity
Former OpenAI employee Daniel Kokotajlo says progress to AGI is ‘somewhat slower’ than first predicted
www.theguardian.com
January 6, 2026 at 8:30 AM
“AI scientists” can’t even define AGI let alone work out how an unthinking internet rephraser is going to randomly archive super intelligence.
It’s 1000 monkeys on 1000 typewriters trying to recreate Dickens: even if by accident all it will ever do is restate
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
It’s 1000 monkeys on 1000 typewriters trying to recreate Dickens: even if by accident all it will ever do is restate
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Reposted by Patrick Galey
Is The Guardian working through All the Men in AI in alphabetical order and making sure they all feel special?
Another day, another AI "expert" has some kind of prediction to share with the media and they just have to share it with us...
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Leading AI expert delays timeline for its possible destruction of humanity
Former OpenAI employee Daniel Kokotajlo says progress to AGI is ‘somewhat slower’ than first predicted
www.theguardian.com
January 6, 2026 at 8:07 AM
Is The Guardian working through All the Men in AI in alphabetical order and making sure they all feel special?
Not to provide undue credit for timing, but a major disruption to crude supplies to at least two of the 5 BRICS nations right after they announce a shift away from the dollar as reserve currency might also be relevant here www.idnfinancials.com/news/59792/b...
BRICS deepens shift from dollar, controls 50% of global gold
BRICS countries not only produce gold, but are actively increasing their reserves, which total more
www.idnfinancials.com
January 5, 2026 at 3:22 PM
Not to provide undue credit for timing, but a major disruption to crude supplies to at least two of the 5 BRICS nations right after they announce a shift away from the dollar as reserve currency might also be relevant here www.idnfinancials.com/news/59792/b...
Just goes to show that over a long enough time span all vampire capitalists can shapeshift their way towards more self-contradictory greed
January 5, 2026 at 12:09 PM
Just goes to show that over a long enough time span all vampire capitalists can shapeshift their way towards more self-contradictory greed
Reposted by Patrick Galey
Venezuela and Greenland are proof that misuse of statistics and shortcuts in cartography can be deadly in a world run by morons.
January 4, 2026 at 10:29 AM
Venezuela and Greenland are proof that misuse of statistics and shortcuts in cartography can be deadly in a world run by morons.
Reposted by Patrick Galey
Just circulating the n'th post backing me up here. ofc we have to weigh that Trump's team might not actually understand this, or have thought it through yet. The performance of oil theft might be part of the plan even if it impoverishes the US.
I happen to know quite a bit about Venezuelan oil.
TL;DR it’s hard to extract, notoriously investor-endangering, isn’t needed (global crude is oversupplied to the tune of 3.3 min bpd) and isn’t easily refined (it’s too dense so always sold at a heavy discount)
www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/202...
TL;DR it’s hard to extract, notoriously investor-endangering, isn’t needed (global crude is oversupplied to the tune of 3.3 min bpd) and isn’t easily refined (it’s too dense so always sold at a heavy discount)
www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/202...
Venezuela has the world’s most oil: Why doesn’t it earn more from exports?
Venezuela holds the world's largest proven oil reserves, more than five times more than the United States.
www.aljazeera.com
January 4, 2026 at 8:03 PM
Just circulating the n'th post backing me up here. ofc we have to weigh that Trump's team might not actually understand this, or have thought it through yet. The performance of oil theft might be part of the plan even if it impoverishes the US.
Reposted by Patrick Galey
I guarantee you trump doesn't know that and thinks that oil is olil
I happen to know quite a bit about Venezuelan oil.
TL;DR it’s hard to extract, notoriously investor-endangering, isn’t needed (global crude is oversupplied to the tune of 3.3 min bpd) and isn’t easily refined (it’s too dense so always sold at a heavy discount)
www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/202...
TL;DR it’s hard to extract, notoriously investor-endangering, isn’t needed (global crude is oversupplied to the tune of 3.3 min bpd) and isn’t easily refined (it’s too dense so always sold at a heavy discount)
www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/202...
Venezuela has the world’s most oil: Why doesn’t it earn more from exports?
Venezuela holds the world's largest proven oil reserves, more than five times more than the United States.
www.aljazeera.com
January 4, 2026 at 5:12 PM
I guarantee you trump doesn't know that and thinks that oil is olil
Starmer and his weird cronies don’t believe in international law.
This is most clearly evidenced by their support for a genocide, and their extra-judicial, clandestine persecution of individuals peacefully opposing Britain’s complicity in this century’s worst crimes against humanity.
This is most clearly evidenced by their support for a genocide, and their extra-judicial, clandestine persecution of individuals peacefully opposing Britain’s complicity in this century’s worst crimes against humanity.
January 4, 2026 at 3:08 PM
Starmer and his weird cronies don’t believe in international law.
This is most clearly evidenced by their support for a genocide, and their extra-judicial, clandestine persecution of individuals peacefully opposing Britain’s complicity in this century’s worst crimes against humanity.
This is most clearly evidenced by their support for a genocide, and their extra-judicial, clandestine persecution of individuals peacefully opposing Britain’s complicity in this century’s worst crimes against humanity.
This is the direct result of voting for morons who surround themselves with morons (and can’t bring yourselves to vote for a women)
I happen to know quite a bit about Venezuelan oil.
TL;DR it’s hard to extract, notoriously investor-endangering, isn’t needed (global crude is oversupplied to the tune of 3.3 min bpd) and isn’t easily refined (it’s too dense so always sold at a heavy discount)
www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/202...
TL;DR it’s hard to extract, notoriously investor-endangering, isn’t needed (global crude is oversupplied to the tune of 3.3 min bpd) and isn’t easily refined (it’s too dense so always sold at a heavy discount)
www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/202...
Venezuela has the world’s most oil: Why doesn’t it earn more from exports?
Venezuela holds the world's largest proven oil reserves, more than five times more than the United States.
www.aljazeera.com
January 4, 2026 at 2:51 PM
This is the direct result of voting for morons who surround themselves with morons (and can’t bring yourselves to vote for a women)
I happen to know quite a bit about Venezuelan oil.
TL;DR it’s hard to extract, notoriously investor-endangering, isn’t needed (global crude is oversupplied to the tune of 3.3 min bpd) and isn’t easily refined (it’s too dense so always sold at a heavy discount)
www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/202...
TL;DR it’s hard to extract, notoriously investor-endangering, isn’t needed (global crude is oversupplied to the tune of 3.3 min bpd) and isn’t easily refined (it’s too dense so always sold at a heavy discount)
www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/202...
Venezuela has the world’s most oil: Why doesn’t it earn more from exports?
Venezuela holds the world's largest proven oil reserves, more than five times more than the United States.
www.aljazeera.com
January 4, 2026 at 2:06 PM
I happen to know quite a bit about Venezuelan oil.
TL;DR it’s hard to extract, notoriously investor-endangering, isn’t needed (global crude is oversupplied to the tune of 3.3 min bpd) and isn’t easily refined (it’s too dense so always sold at a heavy discount)
www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/202...
TL;DR it’s hard to extract, notoriously investor-endangering, isn’t needed (global crude is oversupplied to the tune of 3.3 min bpd) and isn’t easily refined (it’s too dense so always sold at a heavy discount)
www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/202...