Torr 🧵
@torrleonard.bsky.social
Pinned
Torr 🧵
@torrleonard.bsky.social
· Mar 5
I’m worried that in the 2026 and 2028 elections, 49% of voters are gonna say “Trump and Musk turned out to be bad, but the rest of the GOP are fine.”
Which is why we need to tie all these bad things to the *entire GOP*.
Which is why we need to tie all these bad things to the *entire GOP*.
“Under the new EU guidelines, Chinese firms investing in the bloc would be forced to hire local workers and to transfer technology & know-how to domestic firms,
a remarkable symbolic concession of how rapidly Chinese firms have overtaken European ones in certain sectors.”
a remarkable symbolic concession of how rapidly Chinese firms have overtaken European ones in certain sectors.”
EU to tighten investment rules to stand up to China
Commission wants greater benefits for local workers and technology transfers when foreign companies set up in bloc
www.ft.com
November 25, 2025 at 4:25 PM
“Under the new EU guidelines, Chinese firms investing in the bloc would be forced to hire local workers and to transfer technology & know-how to domestic firms,
a remarkable symbolic concession of how rapidly Chinese firms have overtaken European ones in certain sectors.”
a remarkable symbolic concession of how rapidly Chinese firms have overtaken European ones in certain sectors.”
“The economic slowdown and tax increases are signs that Putin and ordinary Russians will face harder choices in the months ahead between guns and butter — that is, between military spending and consumer welfare after 3 1/2 years of war against Ukraine.”
apnews.com/article/russ...
apnews.com/article/russ...
A slowing wartime economy pushes the Kremlin to tap consumers for revenue
Russia's economy has slowed after two years of robust growth fueled by the war in Ukraine. That's opening a hole in the Kremlin's budget, and President Vladimir Putin is looking for money to cover the...
apnews.com
November 25, 2025 at 4:17 PM
“The economic slowdown and tax increases are signs that Putin and ordinary Russians will face harder choices in the months ahead between guns and butter — that is, between military spending and consumer welfare after 3 1/2 years of war against Ukraine.”
apnews.com/article/russ...
apnews.com/article/russ...
“On 9/19/82 Carnegie Mellon Uni computer science research assistant professor Scott Fahlman posted a message to the university’s bulletin board software that would later come to shape how people communicate online.
His proposal: use :-) and :-( as markers to distinguish jokes from serious comments”
His proposal: use :-) and :-( as markers to distinguish jokes from serious comments”
In 1982, a physics joke gone wrong sparked the invention of the emoticon
A simple proposal on a 1982 electronic bulletin board helped sarcasm flourish online.
arstechnica.com
November 25, 2025 at 4:04 PM
“On 9/19/82 Carnegie Mellon Uni computer science research assistant professor Scott Fahlman posted a message to the university’s bulletin board software that would later come to shape how people communicate online.
His proposal: use :-) and :-( as markers to distinguish jokes from serious comments”
His proposal: use :-) and :-( as markers to distinguish jokes from serious comments”
“The most powerful jet engine runs at a temperature 250 degrees Celsius hotter than the melting point of the materials that make it up. How?”
youtu.be/QtxVdC7pBQM?...
youtu.be/QtxVdC7pBQM?...
What happens if you throw sand into a jet engine?
YouTube video by Veritasium
youtu.be
November 25, 2025 at 3:58 PM
“The most powerful jet engine runs at a temperature 250 degrees Celsius hotter than the melting point of the materials that make it up. How?”
youtu.be/QtxVdC7pBQM?...
youtu.be/QtxVdC7pBQM?...
“In his mid-50s, Paul Lundy decided to drop his steady, grinding, corporate career and apprentice under a 92-year-old man who fixed typewriters for a living.”
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
How to Fix a Typewriter and Your Life
This is the story of how a man traded steady, grinding corporate security for a dying craft and, in the process, found his soul.
www.nytimes.com
November 25, 2025 at 3:56 PM
“In his mid-50s, Paul Lundy decided to drop his steady, grinding, corporate career and apprentice under a 92-year-old man who fixed typewriters for a living.”
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Reposted by Torr 🧵
“How D.C. developers made big money on a taxpayer-funded housing project -
Developers with political ties to Mayor Muriel E. Bowser stand to collect millions of dollars more than housing experts say is normal for an affordable housing project.”
www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/int...
Developers with political ties to Mayor Muriel E. Bowser stand to collect millions of dollars more than housing experts say is normal for an affordable housing project.”
www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/int...
How D.C. developers made big money on a taxpayer-funded housing project
The Ethel was built on land provided by the city and benefited from a cascade of government subsidies that helped enrich its developers, a Washington Post investigation found.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 24, 2025 at 6:59 PM
“How D.C. developers made big money on a taxpayer-funded housing project -
Developers with political ties to Mayor Muriel E. Bowser stand to collect millions of dollars more than housing experts say is normal for an affordable housing project.”
www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/int...
Developers with political ties to Mayor Muriel E. Bowser stand to collect millions of dollars more than housing experts say is normal for an affordable housing project.”
www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/int...
“There are 12 statistics, factoids, and studies that dominate every discussion about whether AI is a bubble.
Here's a deep-dive into all 12 arguments.”
www.derekthompson.org/p/how-to-sou...
Here's a deep-dive into all 12 arguments.”
www.derekthompson.org/p/how-to-sou...
How to Sound Like an Expert in Any AI Bubble Debate
There are 12 statistics, factoids, and studies that dominate every discussion about whether artificial intelligence is a bubble. Here's a deep-dive into all 12 arguments
www.derekthompson.org
November 25, 2025 at 3:27 PM
“There are 12 statistics, factoids, and studies that dominate every discussion about whether AI is a bubble.
Here's a deep-dive into all 12 arguments.”
www.derekthompson.org/p/how-to-sou...
Here's a deep-dive into all 12 arguments.”
www.derekthompson.org/p/how-to-sou...
Reposted by Torr 🧵
“OpenAI & its partners are pumping $500B into new data centers in US as part of Project Stargate.
The company believed its trajectory was heading in the right direction, with 800 million weekly users and more than a million business users.”
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/t...
The company believed its trajectory was heading in the right direction, with 800 million weekly users and more than a million business users.”
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/t...
The A.I. Boom Has Found Another Gear. Why Can’t People Shake Their Worries?
www.nytimes.com
November 24, 2025 at 4:31 PM
“OpenAI & its partners are pumping $500B into new data centers in US as part of Project Stargate.
The company believed its trajectory was heading in the right direction, with 800 million weekly users and more than a million business users.”
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/t...
The company believed its trajectory was heading in the right direction, with 800 million weekly users and more than a million business users.”
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/t...
Reposted by Torr 🧵
“Former Mecklenburg County sheriff Jim Pendergraph —who pioneered an immigration enforcement partnership w/ ICE and later worked for that federal agency in Bush administration — said increasing immigration and population growth have made the city more politically liberal, more congested & less safe”
Border Patrol’s Charlotte sting reaches into country clubs, upscale shops
As undocumented immigrants stayed home and federal agents swept through the city, even the wealthiest neighborhoods got a glimpse of what life without migrants might look like.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 25, 2025 at 3:00 AM
“Former Mecklenburg County sheriff Jim Pendergraph —who pioneered an immigration enforcement partnership w/ ICE and later worked for that federal agency in Bush administration — said increasing immigration and population growth have made the city more politically liberal, more congested & less safe”
Reposted by Torr 🧵
"The real tariffs companies pay have turned out to be lower than the headline figures. Companies paid about 12% of the value of their imports as tariffs in Oct.
That is about 10% higher than in Jan, but well below the most dramatic rates announced by the administration over the course of the year."
That is about 10% higher than in Jan, but well below the most dramatic rates announced by the administration over the course of the year."
We Analyzed 5,000 Calls to Find Out What CEOs Really Think About Tariffs
Trump’s trade war is a pain, but less so than many executives expected.
www.wsj.com
November 25, 2025 at 12:56 AM
"The real tariffs companies pay have turned out to be lower than the headline figures. Companies paid about 12% of the value of their imports as tariffs in Oct.
That is about 10% higher than in Jan, but well below the most dramatic rates announced by the administration over the course of the year."
That is about 10% higher than in Jan, but well below the most dramatic rates announced by the administration over the course of the year."
“Former Mecklenburg County sheriff Jim Pendergraph —who pioneered an immigration enforcement partnership w/ ICE and later worked for that federal agency in Bush administration — said increasing immigration and population growth have made the city more politically liberal, more congested & less safe”
Border Patrol’s Charlotte sting reaches into country clubs, upscale shops
As undocumented immigrants stayed home and federal agents swept through the city, even the wealthiest neighborhoods got a glimpse of what life without migrants might look like.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 25, 2025 at 3:00 AM
“Former Mecklenburg County sheriff Jim Pendergraph —who pioneered an immigration enforcement partnership w/ ICE and later worked for that federal agency in Bush administration — said increasing immigration and population growth have made the city more politically liberal, more congested & less safe”
Reposted by Torr 🧵
"Maddie Bell,a 21-year-old college senior in New London, CT, said she grew up knowing the risks of smoking. By the time she was in high school, cultural figures like the Strokes’ Julian Casablancas had her intrigued"
Now she'll one day have a *stroke* thanks to THE STROKES !
Now she'll one day have a *stroke* thanks to THE STROKES !
November 25, 2025 at 1:18 AM
"Maddie Bell,a 21-year-old college senior in New London, CT, said she grew up knowing the risks of smoking. By the time she was in high school, cultural figures like the Strokes’ Julian Casablancas had her intrigued"
Now she'll one day have a *stroke* thanks to THE STROKES !
Now she'll one day have a *stroke* thanks to THE STROKES !
"Roughly one in three cancer deaths in the U.S. are linked to cigarette smoking, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Federal health officials have linked smoking to more than 30 diseases and health conditions, including heart disease, stroke, and asthma."
Federal health officials have linked smoking to more than 30 diseases and health conditions, including heart disease, stroke, and asthma."
Celebrities Are Making Smoking Cigarettes Cool Again
Cigarettes are resurfacing in pop music and movies, raising fears that a yearslong decline in smoking rates could reverse.
www.wsj.com
November 25, 2025 at 1:12 AM
"Roughly one in three cancer deaths in the U.S. are linked to cigarette smoking, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Federal health officials have linked smoking to more than 30 diseases and health conditions, including heart disease, stroke, and asthma."
Federal health officials have linked smoking to more than 30 diseases and health conditions, including heart disease, stroke, and asthma."
"Real estate is also crucial to the new strategy.
By opening larger stores in affluent neighborhoods, Goodwill is well-positioned for when wealthy donors clean out their closets.
Some drop off boxes with barely worn designer clothing and accessories."
www.wsj.com/real-estate/...
By opening larger stores in affluent neighborhoods, Goodwill is well-positioned for when wealthy donors clean out their closets.
Some drop off boxes with barely worn designer clothing and accessories."
www.wsj.com/real-estate/...
Goodwill Thrift Shops Are Getting More Glamorous
The chain’s new stores are bigger and brighter. Some feature signature scents to neutralize items’ musty odors.
www.wsj.com
November 25, 2025 at 1:10 AM
"Real estate is also crucial to the new strategy.
By opening larger stores in affluent neighborhoods, Goodwill is well-positioned for when wealthy donors clean out their closets.
Some drop off boxes with barely worn designer clothing and accessories."
www.wsj.com/real-estate/...
By opening larger stores in affluent neighborhoods, Goodwill is well-positioned for when wealthy donors clean out their closets.
Some drop off boxes with barely worn designer clothing and accessories."
www.wsj.com/real-estate/...
"Al Sina prison in Syria holds the world’s most dangerous Islamic State prisoners, and keeps them under an information blackout.
A network of detention facilities in Syria holds 8,400 Islamic State militants and 30,000 Islamic State wives, children, radicalized supporters & others accused of ties"
A network of detention facilities in Syria holds 8,400 Islamic State militants and 30,000 Islamic State wives, children, radicalized supporters & others accused of ties"
ISIS Prisons and Camps Are Festering in a Fragile Syria as Aid Peters Out
U.S. military commanders warn the group is trying to free members and radicalize their families in detention.
www.wsj.com
November 25, 2025 at 1:04 AM
"Al Sina prison in Syria holds the world’s most dangerous Islamic State prisoners, and keeps them under an information blackout.
A network of detention facilities in Syria holds 8,400 Islamic State militants and 30,000 Islamic State wives, children, radicalized supporters & others accused of ties"
A network of detention facilities in Syria holds 8,400 Islamic State militants and 30,000 Islamic State wives, children, radicalized supporters & others accused of ties"
"The real tariffs companies pay have turned out to be lower than the headline figures. Companies paid about 12% of the value of their imports as tariffs in Oct.
That is about 10% higher than in Jan, but well below the most dramatic rates announced by the administration over the course of the year."
That is about 10% higher than in Jan, but well below the most dramatic rates announced by the administration over the course of the year."
We Analyzed 5,000 Calls to Find Out What CEOs Really Think About Tariffs
Trump’s trade war is a pain, but less so than many executives expected.
www.wsj.com
November 25, 2025 at 12:56 AM
"The real tariffs companies pay have turned out to be lower than the headline figures. Companies paid about 12% of the value of their imports as tariffs in Oct.
That is about 10% higher than in Jan, but well below the most dramatic rates announced by the administration over the course of the year."
That is about 10% higher than in Jan, but well below the most dramatic rates announced by the administration over the course of the year."
“Only 1 in 5 Americans reported having heard or read alot about military buildup in Venezuela.
Trump’s explanation for possible military action make the case for Iraq war look rigorous.
Its as if he is so heedless of public opinion that it doesn’t even feel the need to mount a propaganda campaign
Trump’s explanation for possible military action make the case for Iraq war look rigorous.
Its as if he is so heedless of public opinion that it doesn’t even feel the need to mount a propaganda campaign
Opinion | The Incomprehensible March Toward Regime Change in Venezuela
www.nytimes.com
November 25, 2025 at 12:37 AM
“Only 1 in 5 Americans reported having heard or read alot about military buildup in Venezuela.
Trump’s explanation for possible military action make the case for Iraq war look rigorous.
Its as if he is so heedless of public opinion that it doesn’t even feel the need to mount a propaganda campaign
Trump’s explanation for possible military action make the case for Iraq war look rigorous.
Its as if he is so heedless of public opinion that it doesn’t even feel the need to mount a propaganda campaign
“new “predators” are not populists per se, but men of action who disdain laws & lawyers, who have fought their way to the top in a “digital Somalia, a bankrupt state on a planetary scale.”
Their power is drawn in part from acting unpredictably toward a future that has become inherently unknowable..
Their power is drawn in part from acting unpredictably toward a future that has become inherently unknowable..
View: Trump, MBS, and Mamdani at the Predators’ Ball
As Trump’s American critics and admirers alike struggle to understand him, the writer Giuliano da Empoli offers a useful alternative.
www.semafor.com
November 24, 2025 at 11:55 PM
“new “predators” are not populists per se, but men of action who disdain laws & lawyers, who have fought their way to the top in a “digital Somalia, a bankrupt state on a planetary scale.”
Their power is drawn in part from acting unpredictably toward a future that has become inherently unknowable..
Their power is drawn in part from acting unpredictably toward a future that has become inherently unknowable..
“There’s a recurring trap in how we analyze Saudi monarchs: focusing on too narrow a timeframe.
The murder of Khashoggi will likely follow bin Salman forever in the Western press.
But that’s not the metric by which his subjects will judge a reign that could stretch across *half a century*.”
The murder of Khashoggi will likely follow bin Salman forever in the Western press.
But that’s not the metric by which his subjects will judge a reign that could stretch across *half a century*.”
View: To judge Saudi’s crown prince, think in decades
Instead of fixating on moments, Saudis will assess their monarch’s reign over decades.
www.semafor.com
November 24, 2025 at 11:51 PM
“There’s a recurring trap in how we analyze Saudi monarchs: focusing on too narrow a timeframe.
The murder of Khashoggi will likely follow bin Salman forever in the Western press.
But that’s not the metric by which his subjects will judge a reign that could stretch across *half a century*.”
The murder of Khashoggi will likely follow bin Salman forever in the Western press.
But that’s not the metric by which his subjects will judge a reign that could stretch across *half a century*.”
“Old Texas Town, located in former West Berlin, has for decades served as an ode to the American frontier — the land is outfitted with a sheriff’s office, courtroom, the Alamo etc.
The public can visit for hoedowns or a drink at the saloon.
But Old TX Town’s lease expired nearly three months ago”
The public can visit for hoedowns or a drink at the saloon.
But Old TX Town’s lease expired nearly three months ago”
Before Berlin’s Cowboys Are Booted Off Their Land, One Final Hoedown
www.nytimes.com
November 24, 2025 at 11:41 PM
“Old Texas Town, located in former West Berlin, has for decades served as an ode to the American frontier — the land is outfitted with a sheriff’s office, courtroom, the Alamo etc.
The public can visit for hoedowns or a drink at the saloon.
But Old TX Town’s lease expired nearly three months ago”
The public can visit for hoedowns or a drink at the saloon.
But Old TX Town’s lease expired nearly three months ago”
"4/5 of the world’s population lives in towns & cities -
Hertog defined "urban areas" as either cities inhabited by at least 50k people, w/ at least 1,500 individuals per sq km,
or towns w/ at least 5k inhabitants and a density of at least 300 ppl per km2.
Classed the remaining areas as "rural".
Hertog defined "urban areas" as either cities inhabited by at least 50k people, w/ at least 1,500 individuals per sq km,
or towns w/ at least 5k inhabitants and a density of at least 300 ppl per km2.
Classed the remaining areas as "rural".
Four-fifths of the world's population now live in urban areas
A comprehensive UN report has found that cities and towns are home to 81 per cent of the world’s population, much more than previously thought
www.newscientist.com
November 24, 2025 at 11:04 PM
"4/5 of the world’s population lives in towns & cities -
Hertog defined "urban areas" as either cities inhabited by at least 50k people, w/ at least 1,500 individuals per sq km,
or towns w/ at least 5k inhabitants and a density of at least 300 ppl per km2.
Classed the remaining areas as "rural".
Hertog defined "urban areas" as either cities inhabited by at least 50k people, w/ at least 1,500 individuals per sq km,
or towns w/ at least 5k inhabitants and a density of at least 300 ppl per km2.
Classed the remaining areas as "rural".
"Judge dismisses cases against James Comey and Letitia James; rules prosecutor [Halligan] appointment unlawful -
The decision could end the prosecution of the former FBI director.
The government could refile charges against the New York attorney general."
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
The decision could end the prosecution of the former FBI director.
The government could refile charges against the New York attorney general."
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
Judge tosses cases against Comey and James, rules prosecutor appointment unlawful
The decision disqualifying Lindsey Halligan as interim U.S. attorney sets back President Donald Trump’s efforts to use the Justice Department to target perceived rivals.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 24, 2025 at 10:54 PM
"Judge dismisses cases against James Comey and Letitia James; rules prosecutor [Halligan] appointment unlawful -
The decision could end the prosecution of the former FBI director.
The government could refile charges against the New York attorney general."
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
The decision could end the prosecution of the former FBI director.
The government could refile charges against the New York attorney general."
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
This is a good article.
"Ridiculous," the newest show of Louis CK's prolific post-cancellation career, represents a break from the past along with continuity."
"Ridiculous," the newest show of Louis CK's prolific post-cancellation career, represents a break from the past along with continuity."
My friend and colleague @jasonzinoman.bsky.social told me he’d seen Louis CK, so I was eager to see his take on what it’s like now (gift link)
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/21/a...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/21/a...
A Meditative Louis C.K. Takes the Stage. Don’t Call It a Comeback.
www.nytimes.com
November 24, 2025 at 10:34 PM
This is a good article.
"Ridiculous," the newest show of Louis CK's prolific post-cancellation career, represents a break from the past along with continuity."
"Ridiculous," the newest show of Louis CK's prolific post-cancellation career, represents a break from the past along with continuity."
"algorithms tends to repeat what “works,” but art opens up what is possible.
Not everything has to be immediate or predictable.
Defend slowness when it serves a purpose, silence when it speaks, and difference when evocative.
Beauty is not just a means of escape; it is, above all, an invocation"
Not everything has to be immediate or predictable.
Defend slowness when it serves a purpose, silence when it speaks, and difference when evocative.
Beauty is not just a means of escape; it is, above all, an invocation"
Some inspiring words on cinema in the streaming era from the Pope.
Yes, THAT Pope.
Yes, THAT Pope.
November 24, 2025 at 10:27 PM
"algorithms tends to repeat what “works,” but art opens up what is possible.
Not everything has to be immediate or predictable.
Defend slowness when it serves a purpose, silence when it speaks, and difference when evocative.
Beauty is not just a means of escape; it is, above all, an invocation"
Not everything has to be immediate or predictable.
Defend slowness when it serves a purpose, silence when it speaks, and difference when evocative.
Beauty is not just a means of escape; it is, above all, an invocation"
Reposted by Torr 🧵
“More than 80% of the federal campaign spending by 100 wealthiest Americans in 2024 went to GOP.
Trump himself raised 15x as much from the 100 richest Americans in 2024 than he did during his first campaign in ‘16.
Harris raised 3x as much from the wealthiest in 2024 as Hillary Clinton did in 2016
Trump himself raised 15x as much from the 100 richest Americans in 2024 than he did during his first campaign in ‘16.
Harris raised 3x as much from the wealthiest in 2024 as Hillary Clinton did in 2016
November 23, 2025 at 3:37 AM
“More than 80% of the federal campaign spending by 100 wealthiest Americans in 2024 went to GOP.
Trump himself raised 15x as much from the 100 richest Americans in 2024 than he did during his first campaign in ‘16.
Harris raised 3x as much from the wealthiest in 2024 as Hillary Clinton did in 2016
Trump himself raised 15x as much from the 100 richest Americans in 2024 than he did during his first campaign in ‘16.
Harris raised 3x as much from the wealthiest in 2024 as Hillary Clinton did in 2016