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 Jussi T. Eronen, Anders Sundnes Løvlie, Simon Lester

whstancil.bsky.social
Will Stancil @whstancil.bsky.social · 10h
“We must seize Greenland by force of arms before China does” is apparently the prevailing policy wisdom in the president’s upper echelon right now

Reposted by Simon Lester

mcopelov.bsky.social
Mark Copelovitch @mcopelov.bsky.social · 11h
Mountains of books and articles. The <only way> to seriously argue that this stuff is “new” or “increasing” or even increasingly relevant is to read, cite, & engage with this mountain of work that has explained how it’s all been central to everything in the global economy for ~forever.

Reposted by Richard S.J. Tol, Ken Caldeira, Michael A. Clemens , and 4 more

slothropsmap.bsky.social
Nick (derogatory) ✨ @slothropsmap.bsky.social · 11h
I think we’re at the Rubicon.

Who knows, of course, but it feels like what happens over the next few weeks will define the rest of our lives.
Trump 'orders US army chiefs to draw up plan to invade Greenland'
Donald Trump has ordered his special forces commanders to draw up a plan for the invasion of Greenland - but is being resisted by senior military figures, The Mail on Sunday has learned.
www.dailymail.co.uk

Reposted by Simon Lester

cjzero.bsky.social
CJ Fogler @cjzero.bsky.social · 13h
😂

Reposted by Steve Peers, Simon Lester

onestpress.onestnetwork.com
Olga Nesterova @onestpress.onestnetwork.com · 13h
Minnesota today

Reposted by Rebecca Solnit, Steve Peers, Dean Eckles , and 2 more

onestpress.onestnetwork.com
Olga Nesterova @onestpress.onestnetwork.com · 13h
And despite it all, this is Tehran 🇮🇷

Reposted by Sanford F. Schram, David R. Miller, W. Andy Knight , and 3 more

carlquintanilla.bsky.social
Carl Quintanilla @carlquintanilla.bsky.social · 17h
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 · 19h
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 · 19h
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 · 19h
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 · 19h
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 Margot C. Finn, Simon Lester

stevepeers.bsky.social
Steve Peers @stevepeers.bsky.social · 20h
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 · 22h
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 · 22h
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 · 22h
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 · 1d
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 7 more

the-independent.com
The Independent @the-independent.com · 1d
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 · 1d
There's something in the air tonight... Fernando!!

Reposted by Simon Lester

peark.es
George Pearkes @peark.es · 1d
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 · 1d
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 · 1d
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 · 1d
There’s already a bill for that (but for more than 1 year). Introduced by @sanders.senate.gov

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