Robinson Meyer
@robinsonmeyer.bsky.social
Founding executive editor of Heatmap News. Contributing Opinion writer for The New York Times. Cohost of the Shift Key podcast. 📍NYC
Pinned
What the China-Canada EV Trade Deal Really Means
Rob talks with McMaster University engineering professor Greig Mordue, then checks in with Heatmap contributor Andrew Moseman on the EVs to watch out for.
heatmap.news
NEW SHIFT KEY
Why Canadians Might Not Get BYD Cars Soon
(And What the China-Canada EV Deal Really Means)
I speak to Greig Mordue, a former Canadian Toyota exec and engineering prof, about how to think about the Xi-Carney deal and what could happen next: heatmap.news/podcast/shif...
Why Canadians Might Not Get BYD Cars Soon
(And What the China-Canada EV Deal Really Means)
I speak to Greig Mordue, a former Canadian Toyota exec and engineering prof, about how to think about the Xi-Carney deal and what could happen next: heatmap.news/podcast/shif...
Reposted by Robinson Meyer
A century ago, tens of thousands of US houses were built from factory-made prefab kits sold by firms like Montgomery Ward. They were inexpensive but nice starter homes that launched many young families. Lots are still around. These guys are more or less trying to bring this back--good luck to them!
The American Housing Corporation
We're building an abundance of beautiful starter homes across the United States, in cities where families love to live.
www.americanhousing.co
January 28, 2026 at 7:11 PM
A century ago, tens of thousands of US houses were built from factory-made prefab kits sold by firms like Montgomery Ward. They were inexpensive but nice starter homes that launched many young families. Lots are still around. These guys are more or less trying to bring this back--good luck to them!
Reposted by Robinson Meyer
I'm on the podcast today talking new EVs in 2026
NEW SHIFT KEY
Why Canadians Might Not Get BYD Cars Soon
(And What the China-Canada EV Deal Really Means)
I speak to Greig Mordue, a former Canadian Toyota exec and engineering prof, about how to think about the Xi-Carney deal and what could happen next: heatmap.news/podcast/shif...
Why Canadians Might Not Get BYD Cars Soon
(And What the China-Canada EV Deal Really Means)
I speak to Greig Mordue, a former Canadian Toyota exec and engineering prof, about how to think about the Xi-Carney deal and what could happen next: heatmap.news/podcast/shif...
What the China-Canada EV Trade Deal Really Means
Rob talks with McMaster University engineering professor Greig Mordue, then checks in with Heatmap contributor Andrew Moseman on the EVs to watch out for.
heatmap.news
January 28, 2026 at 5:59 PM
I'm on the podcast today talking new EVs in 2026
If we want to electrify everything, we need to get real about how to power the northeastern US grid in winter — because operators *will* do anything, even burn diesel fuel, to avoid blackouts. I wrote about the challenge of keeping the midwinter lights on for the NYT: www.nytimes.com/2026/01/28/o...
Opinion | It’s Very Cold. Just Wait for the Grid to Fail.
www.nytimes.com
January 28, 2026 at 3:39 PM
If we want to electrify everything, we need to get real about how to power the northeastern US grid in winter — because operators *will* do anything, even burn diesel fuel, to avoid blackouts. I wrote about the challenge of keeping the midwinter lights on for the NYT: www.nytimes.com/2026/01/28/o...
FWIW @dkthomp.bsky.social says he’s not a new contributor at CBS and has been on contract with the network for the past seven years.
January 28, 2026 at 3:21 PM
FWIW @dkthomp.bsky.social says he’s not a new contributor at CBS and has been on contract with the network for the past seven years.
NEW SHIFT KEY
Why Canadians Might Not Get BYD Cars Soon
(And What the China-Canada EV Deal Really Means)
I speak to Greig Mordue, a former Canadian Toyota exec and engineering prof, about how to think about the Xi-Carney deal and what could happen next: heatmap.news/podcast/shif...
Why Canadians Might Not Get BYD Cars Soon
(And What the China-Canada EV Deal Really Means)
I speak to Greig Mordue, a former Canadian Toyota exec and engineering prof, about how to think about the Xi-Carney deal and what could happen next: heatmap.news/podcast/shif...
What the China-Canada EV Trade Deal Really Means
Rob talks with McMaster University engineering professor Greig Mordue, then checks in with Heatmap contributor Andrew Moseman on the EVs to watch out for.
heatmap.news
January 28, 2026 at 3:15 PM
NEW SHIFT KEY
Why Canadians Might Not Get BYD Cars Soon
(And What the China-Canada EV Deal Really Means)
I speak to Greig Mordue, a former Canadian Toyota exec and engineering prof, about how to think about the Xi-Carney deal and what could happen next: heatmap.news/podcast/shif...
Why Canadians Might Not Get BYD Cars Soon
(And What the China-Canada EV Deal Really Means)
I speak to Greig Mordue, a former Canadian Toyota exec and engineering prof, about how to think about the Xi-Carney deal and what could happen next: heatmap.news/podcast/shif...
Gallego’s whole thing of moderating on policy, radicalizing on tactics/partisanship, and attacking when events allow is pretty clearly trying to find a way through the “popularism/populism/future of Dems” stuff.
Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., rolls out his demand for supporting a DHS appropriations bill: fire Stephen Miller
January 28, 2026 at 3:45 AM
Gallego’s whole thing of moderating on policy, radicalizing on tactics/partisanship, and attacking when events allow is pretty clearly trying to find a way through the “popularism/populism/future of Dems” stuff.
They told me that BA in creative nonfiction was a waste of money. Can you believe it? They told me I was flushing my money down the toilet. And look at me now.
January 28, 2026 at 2:20 AM
They told me that BA in creative nonfiction was a waste of money. Can you believe it? They told me I was flushing my money down the toilet. And look at me now.
Reposted by Robinson Meyer
the grid by and large survived the storm — what issues we had were poles and wires, not load shedding — but now the grid has to face a week of very low temperatures, which means persistent high demand heatmap.news/energy/winte...
The Grid Survived The Storm. Now Comes The Cold.
With historic lows projected for the next two weeks — and more snow potentially on the way — the big strain may be yet to come.
heatmap.news
January 26, 2026 at 10:40 PM
the grid by and large survived the storm — what issues we had were poles and wires, not load shedding — but now the grid has to face a week of very low temperatures, which means persistent high demand heatmap.news/energy/winte...
Honestly I would use Bombadil AI. I would not pay for it however
January 26, 2026 at 11:25 PM
Honestly I would use Bombadil AI. I would not pay for it however
Theories about the horrendous Washington Post rumors/news:
* Bezos is gambling his public reputation can’t fall any further.
* He doesn’t think the public will care and/or he thinks the current faction in power might reward him.
* Total abdication from the sector because of AI?
* Bezos is gambling his public reputation can’t fall any further.
* He doesn’t think the public will care and/or he thinks the current faction in power might reward him.
* Total abdication from the sector because of AI?
January 26, 2026 at 9:49 PM
Theories about the horrendous Washington Post rumors/news:
* Bezos is gambling his public reputation can’t fall any further.
* He doesn’t think the public will care and/or he thinks the current faction in power might reward him.
* Total abdication from the sector because of AI?
* Bezos is gambling his public reputation can’t fall any further.
* He doesn’t think the public will care and/or he thinks the current faction in power might reward him.
* Total abdication from the sector because of AI?
Too much to argue that between Mamdani’s groomsman look and Carney’s three-piece suits, we’re seeing a more formal fashion sensibility grounded in self-restraint take shape?
As we head into a new session of Parliament, our new government is focused on our core missions — to protect our communities, build our economy, and empower Canadians with new opportunities.
Together, we’re building Canada strong.
Together, we’re building Canada strong.
January 25, 2026 at 7:56 PM
Too much to argue that between Mamdani’s groomsman look and Carney’s three-piece suits, we’re seeing a more formal fashion sensibility grounded in self-restraint take shape?
Man, the default tone on X is now so pseudo-counterintuitive and engagement-brained that people are finding a way to feel bad about the Alex Honnold climb.
January 25, 2026 at 7:22 PM
Man, the default tone on X is now so pseudo-counterintuitive and engagement-brained that people are finding a way to feel bad about the Alex Honnold climb.
Nice Zohran video about NYC snow management, he’s clearly just explaining city SOP but effective nonetheless: www.instagram.com/reel/DT6R_8Z... (or non-vertical youtube link: youtu.be/S8ePP7N6hQ0?...)
Instagram
Create an account or log in to Instagram - Share what you're into with the people who get you.
www.instagram.com
January 25, 2026 at 3:20 PM
Nice Zohran video about NYC snow management, he’s clearly just explaining city SOP but effective nonetheless: www.instagram.com/reel/DT6R_8Z... (or non-vertical youtube link: youtu.be/S8ePP7N6hQ0?...)
“When I encounter Abundance in Washington, D.C., I’m never sure which of these two I’m going to get. It takes time and cognitive work to figure out which is which… A movement driven by magazine writers and academics will find it difficult to police the boundaries of what’s included and excluded.”
What Progressives Want to Know About Abundance
Off Twitter/X, the concerns are about boundaries, business, omnicauses, and what complements liberal priorities versus what replaces them.
newsletter.mikekonczal.com
January 23, 2026 at 5:21 PM
“When I encounter Abundance in Washington, D.C., I’m never sure which of these two I’m going to get. It takes time and cognitive work to figure out which is which… A movement driven by magazine writers and academics will find it difficult to police the boundaries of what’s included and excluded.”
“If Abundance means YIMBYism, building more housing and preempting exclusionary local zoning, I am 100 percent a supporter and encourage people to contribute. If Abundance means e/acc, letting tech and AI rip across every domain regardless of consequences, I am not in favor…”
What Progressives Want to Know About Abundance
Off Twitter/X, the concerns are about boundaries, business, omnicauses, and what complements liberal priorities versus what replaces them.
newsletter.mikekonczal.com
January 23, 2026 at 5:20 PM
“If Abundance means YIMBYism, building more housing and preempting exclusionary local zoning, I am 100 percent a supporter and encourage people to contribute. If Abundance means e/acc, letting tech and AI rip across every domain regardless of consequences, I am not in favor…”
GM has already killed the new Chevy Bolt… and it’s revamping its Kansas factory to make internal combustion cars, @andrewmoseman.bsky.social writes: heatmap.news/electric-veh...
The Chevy Bolt Is Already Dead. Again.
2017 – 2023 ... and 2027.
heatmap.news
January 23, 2026 at 4:03 PM
GM has already killed the new Chevy Bolt… and it’s revamping its Kansas factory to make internal combustion cars, @andrewmoseman.bsky.social writes: heatmap.news/electric-veh...
Coalie when it’s 1890 and you have to build an urban power plant:
January 23, 2026 at 3:58 AM
Coalie when it’s 1890 and you have to build an urban power plant:
One of my all-time favorite op-eds: “One doesn’t pretend to do battle against a blizzard. You submit. Surrender. Hunker down. A snowstorm rewards indolence and punishes the go-getters, which is only one of the many reasons it’s the best natural disaster there is.” www.nytimes.com/2016/01/23/o...
Opinion | In Case of Blizzard, Do Nothing (Published 2016)
www.nytimes.com
January 22, 2026 at 9:52 PM
One of my all-time favorite op-eds: “One doesn’t pretend to do battle against a blizzard. You submit. Surrender. Hunker down. A snowstorm rewards indolence and punishes the go-getters, which is only one of the many reasons it’s the best natural disaster there is.” www.nytimes.com/2016/01/23/o...
Reposted by Robinson Meyer
A billionaire known as “Bitcoin Jesus” was under indictment for massive criminal tax fraud and very likely going to prison.
Then, he hired a “Friend of Trump” and the criminal charges disappeared.
How did they do it? Avi Asher-Schapiro and I spent months getting the inside story.
Then, he hired a “Friend of Trump” and the criminal charges disappeared.
How did they do it? Avi Asher-Schapiro and I spent months getting the inside story.
January 22, 2026 at 3:58 PM
A billionaire known as “Bitcoin Jesus” was under indictment for massive criminal tax fraud and very likely going to prison.
Then, he hired a “Friend of Trump” and the criminal charges disappeared.
How did they do it? Avi Asher-Schapiro and I spent months getting the inside story.
Then, he hired a “Friend of Trump” and the criminal charges disappeared.
How did they do it? Avi Asher-Schapiro and I spent months getting the inside story.
Reposted by Robinson Meyer
The grimness of US history should encourage us. Yes, people used to send lynching postcards. And other people saw that, worked towards building a more just society anyway, and succeeded beyond anyone's wildest imagination. There's more work to be done. What's our excuse for choosing despair instead?
I understand and appreciate the fact that for some it is genuinely uncomfortable and distracting to think about how grim US history is. yes, that is strategically relevant, and no, I wouldn't put "did you know people used to send lynching photos to each other as postcards?" on a recruitment flyer
January 22, 2026 at 7:18 PM
The grimness of US history should encourage us. Yes, people used to send lynching postcards. And other people saw that, worked towards building a more just society anyway, and succeeded beyond anyone's wildest imagination. There's more work to be done. What's our excuse for choosing despair instead?
Reposted by Robinson Meyer
OK not to be that guy, but I've stood on this very hill and stayed about 20 feet from where the CNN reporter is. There are *always* ice bergs on that beach.
This isn't a rugged Greenlandic locale, it's the heart of Old Nuuk, which is the quaint and bougie part of the city where mostly Dane lives.
This isn't a rugged Greenlandic locale, it's the heart of Old Nuuk, which is the quaint and bougie part of the city where mostly Dane lives.
Canadians you are not prepared for the temperature he tells you he is experiencing here.
January 22, 2026 at 5:01 PM
OK not to be that guy, but I've stood on this very hill and stayed about 20 feet from where the CNN reporter is. There are *always* ice bergs on that beach.
This isn't a rugged Greenlandic locale, it's the heart of Old Nuuk, which is the quaint and bougie part of the city where mostly Dane lives.
This isn't a rugged Greenlandic locale, it's the heart of Old Nuuk, which is the quaint and bougie part of the city where mostly Dane lives.
Reposted by Robinson Meyer
We set out to determine how many images of women and girls Grok created during its nudifying spree. What we found was “industrial-scale abuse,” experts said. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/22/t...
Musk’s Chatbot Flooded X With Millions of Sexualized Images in Days, New Estimates Show
www.nytimes.com
January 22, 2026 at 2:56 PM
We set out to determine how many images of women and girls Grok created during its nudifying spree. What we found was “industrial-scale abuse,” experts said. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/22/t...
“News about the new military service sent tens of thousands of school-age demonstrators into the streets. A frequent refrain: Why should they sacrifice for a state that channels a quarter of its federal budget into pension payments to the old?” www.wsj.com/world/europe...
Germany’s Military Recruitment Drive Has a Gen Z Problem
In a shift from the 20th century’s postwar pacifism, today’s generational split over the military is more about economics than politics.
www.wsj.com
January 22, 2026 at 3:50 PM
“News about the new military service sent tens of thousands of school-age demonstrators into the streets. A frequent refrain: Why should they sacrifice for a state that channels a quarter of its federal budget into pension payments to the old?” www.wsj.com/world/europe...
Reposted by Robinson Meyer
This is interesting because it's kind of the exact dynamic of sports media over the last 20 years. A bunch of newer blogger/amateur/enthusiast types are more sensationalist about forecasts and models and the old guard believe it's totally irresponsible.
January 21, 2026 at 8:42 PM
This is interesting because it's kind of the exact dynamic of sports media over the last 20 years. A bunch of newer blogger/amateur/enthusiast types are more sensationalist about forecasts and models and the old guard believe it's totally irresponsible.
NEW SHIFT KEY
Why America’s Climate Emissions Surged in 2025
In an ominous sign, US GHG pollution grew faster than GDP last year. I spoke to @rhg.com’s Ben King about why, and what it says about the US economy — and whether Trump or AI is more to blame.
Listen: shows.acast.com/65bac3af0334...
Why America’s Climate Emissions Surged in 2025
In an ominous sign, US GHG pollution grew faster than GDP last year. I spoke to @rhg.com’s Ben King about why, and what it says about the US economy — and whether Trump or AI is more to blame.
Listen: shows.acast.com/65bac3af0334...
Why America’s Climate Emissions Surged in 2025 | Shift Key with Robinson Meyer and Jesse Jenkins
Rob talks through Rhodium Groups’s latest emissions report with climate and energy director Ben King.
shows.acast.com
January 21, 2026 at 4:42 PM
NEW SHIFT KEY
Why America’s Climate Emissions Surged in 2025
In an ominous sign, US GHG pollution grew faster than GDP last year. I spoke to @rhg.com’s Ben King about why, and what it says about the US economy — and whether Trump or AI is more to blame.
Listen: shows.acast.com/65bac3af0334...
Why America’s Climate Emissions Surged in 2025
In an ominous sign, US GHG pollution grew faster than GDP last year. I spoke to @rhg.com’s Ben King about why, and what it says about the US economy — and whether Trump or AI is more to blame.
Listen: shows.acast.com/65bac3af0334...