François Raulier
@francoisgmr.bsky.social
Consulting engineer in construction. Now dabbling in development. Spent decades working in Central and Eastern Europe. Currently slowly moving back to Scotland.
China signals opening for trade talks with US
Part of me is wondering whether this is a deliberate move by China to make Trump think he is winning, encouraging him to hold on for longer so the US economy crashes all the harder later.
A little convoluted perhaps, but not impossible I think…
Part of me is wondering whether this is a deliberate move by China to make Trump think he is winning, encouraging him to hold on for longer so the US economy crashes all the harder later.
A little convoluted perhaps, but not impossible I think…
May 1, 2025 at 1:51 PM
China signals opening for trade talks with US
Part of me is wondering whether this is a deliberate move by China to make Trump think he is winning, encouraging him to hold on for longer so the US economy crashes all the harder later.
A little convoluted perhaps, but not impossible I think…
Part of me is wondering whether this is a deliberate move by China to make Trump think he is winning, encouraging him to hold on for longer so the US economy crashes all the harder later.
A little convoluted perhaps, but not impossible I think…
Reposted by François Raulier
Reposted by François Raulier
To sum up then the argument is that if you want to be a criminal and get away with it you should become a far right politician because it would be dangerous to convict you.
Have I got that right?
Have I got that right?
April 1, 2025 at 3:55 PM
To sum up then the argument is that if you want to be a criminal and get away with it you should become a far right politician because it would be dangerous to convict you.
Have I got that right?
Have I got that right?
Reposted by François Raulier
And yet Joe Rogan puts guests on who say "Vaccines aren't actually responsible for the reduction in infectious diseases.”
March 30, 2025 at 5:30 PM
And yet Joe Rogan puts guests on who say "Vaccines aren't actually responsible for the reduction in infectious diseases.”
Reposted by François Raulier
I received a heartbreaking email today: A paper in a special issue I’m editing is being retracted because one of its authors is afraid of losing their job and their legal status in the U.S. if they publish a scientific study on evolution. Yes, on evolution, nature's engine of diversity.
March 29, 2025 at 11:52 PM
I received a heartbreaking email today: A paper in a special issue I’m editing is being retracted because one of its authors is afraid of losing their job and their legal status in the U.S. if they publish a scientific study on evolution. Yes, on evolution, nature's engine of diversity.
Reposted by François Raulier
Reposted by François Raulier
Stop buying Teslas, stop Tweeting, and stop using Starlink.
March 16, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Stop buying Teslas, stop Tweeting, and stop using Starlink.
Reposted by François Raulier
For me, Tesla and Bitcoin are the bellwethers of this market. Both run on nothing but diffuse hopes and bombastic narrative, and are more akin to gambling than investing. As these two go, so will the market follow, as this market can stand a lot, but cannot stand the weight of broken hopes. #EconSky
March 17, 2025 at 2:25 PM
For me, Tesla and Bitcoin are the bellwethers of this market. Both run on nothing but diffuse hopes and bombastic narrative, and are more akin to gambling than investing. As these two go, so will the market follow, as this market can stand a lot, but cannot stand the weight of broken hopes. #EconSky
I feel genuinely sorry to have to break it to you, and the many others who post along similar lines, that the US no longer has a constitution and is no longer governed by the rule of law.
There is no rule of law if there is no enforcement mechanism.
You are going to find another way to resist.
There is no rule of law if there is no enforcement mechanism.
You are going to find another way to resist.
March 17, 2025 at 5:03 PM
I feel genuinely sorry to have to break it to you, and the many others who post along similar lines, that the US no longer has a constitution and is no longer governed by the rule of law.
There is no rule of law if there is no enforcement mechanism.
You are going to find another way to resist.
There is no rule of law if there is no enforcement mechanism.
You are going to find another way to resist.
Reposted by François Raulier
Tusk is really rising to the occasion www.nytimes.com/2025/03/07/w...
March 8, 2025 at 12:19 PM
Tusk is really rising to the occasion www.nytimes.com/2025/03/07/w...
I’ve recently become quite partial to the occasional Whisky Sour of an evening. In my view, it doesn’t work very well if you use Scotch, especially a single malt, so I had been using Bourbon.
Now switched to Canadian whiskey, for obvious reasons. Using Bearface at the moment.
It’s even better!
Now switched to Canadian whiskey, for obvious reasons. Using Bearface at the moment.
It’s even better!
March 9, 2025 at 7:51 AM
I’ve recently become quite partial to the occasional Whisky Sour of an evening. In my view, it doesn’t work very well if you use Scotch, especially a single malt, so I had been using Bourbon.
Now switched to Canadian whiskey, for obvious reasons. Using Bearface at the moment.
It’s even better!
Now switched to Canadian whiskey, for obvious reasons. Using Bearface at the moment.
It’s even better!
Reposted by François Raulier
Go Warren, GO!! ✨
March 8, 2025 at 12:57 PM
Go Warren, GO!! ✨
Reposted by François Raulier
A reporter asks Trudeau about Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly’s characterization of the current U.S. situation which she called a "psychodrama."
"How would you characterize it?"
Trudeau, speaking for a weary nation, “Thursday."
"How would you characterize it?"
Trudeau, speaking for a weary nation, “Thursday."
March 6, 2025 at 4:04 PM
A reporter asks Trudeau about Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly’s characterization of the current U.S. situation which she called a "psychodrama."
"How would you characterize it?"
Trudeau, speaking for a weary nation, “Thursday."
"How would you characterize it?"
Trudeau, speaking for a weary nation, “Thursday."
Reposted by François Raulier
What a front cover...
March 6, 2025 at 11:09 AM
What a front cover...
Reposted by François Raulier
Many of the scientists that the Trump administration is defunding and persecuting will be working on strategically important technologies and research areas. The UK and other European countries should urgently establish programmes to bring those researchers here.
March 6, 2025 at 12:51 PM
Many of the scientists that the Trump administration is defunding and persecuting will be working on strategically important technologies and research areas. The UK and other European countries should urgently establish programmes to bring those researchers here.
Only if there’s anyone left in the US willing to enforce the law and the decisions of the courts.
If not, this, and any other ruling, is completely meaningless. Not worth the paper any of them are written on.
If not, this, and any other ruling, is completely meaningless. Not worth the paper any of them are written on.
March 5, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Only if there’s anyone left in the US willing to enforce the law and the decisions of the courts.
If not, this, and any other ruling, is completely meaningless. Not worth the paper any of them are written on.
If not, this, and any other ruling, is completely meaningless. Not worth the paper any of them are written on.
Reposted by François Raulier
We should be throwing up lab space in places like Cambridge and Tatton Park at a vast rate.
Biggest opportunity to recruit scientific talent since the 1930s.
Biggest opportunity to recruit scientific talent since the 1930s.
NIH appears to have canceled/postponed all of its study sections—the independent review panels that approve federal grants for health research.
Such grants fund the work/salaries of 300k people at more than 2,500 institutions
Such grants fund the work/salaries of 300k people at more than 2,500 institutions
All NIH study sections canceled indefinitely. This will halt science and devastate research budgets in universities.
January 22, 2025 at 10:49 PM
We should be throwing up lab space in places like Cambridge and Tatton Park at a vast rate.
Biggest opportunity to recruit scientific talent since the 1930s.
Biggest opportunity to recruit scientific talent since the 1930s.
Reposted by François Raulier
Wonder if the Royal Society will follow Reddit's lead.
(Elon Musk remains a FRS)
(Elon Musk remains a FRS)
🚨🚨 Breaking: More than 50 reddit communities ban X links to protest Musk after he made a hand gesture resembling a Nazi salute on Monday citing that and many other things. #exodus🧵
www.nbcnews.com/tech/social-...
www.nbcnews.com/tech/social-...
More than 50 Reddit communities ban X links to protest Musk
The cascade of link bans came after Musk made a hand gesture at a Monday rally that many compared to a Nazi salute, which many cited in their protests, among other things.
www.nbcnews.com
January 23, 2025 at 6:31 AM
Wonder if the Royal Society will follow Reddit's lead.
(Elon Musk remains a FRS)
(Elon Musk remains a FRS)
At a rational, level, I completely agree - collective responsibility, yes; individual shaming, no.
At a visceral level, I still find myself, ≈ 9 years on, wondering which way individuals voted.
If I realise someone voted Leave, I refuse to engage. Unhelpful, I know, but that’s the way it is.
At a visceral level, I still find myself, ≈ 9 years on, wondering which way individuals voted.
If I realise someone voted Leave, I refuse to engage. Unhelpful, I know, but that’s the way it is.
There's a difference between 1) saying that the British electorate has a collective responsibility as Niall did and does - and many Leave voters felt very guilty in the aftermath of 2016, and 2) shaming individual voters, which imo is unhelpful. 2/n
January 13, 2025 at 6:50 AM
At a rational, level, I completely agree - collective responsibility, yes; individual shaming, no.
At a visceral level, I still find myself, ≈ 9 years on, wondering which way individuals voted.
If I realise someone voted Leave, I refuse to engage. Unhelpful, I know, but that’s the way it is.
At a visceral level, I still find myself, ≈ 9 years on, wondering which way individuals voted.
If I realise someone voted Leave, I refuse to engage. Unhelpful, I know, but that’s the way it is.
Ian has an immeasurably greater reach than me, but I do want to add my voice to his here.
Getting increasingly irritated by publications without BlueSky as a sharing option, especially if X is there. I'm trying to promote your article on a site that actually allows people to see it. Help me help you man.
January 12, 2025 at 7:53 AM
Ian has an immeasurably greater reach than me, but I do want to add my voice to his here.
Reposted by François Raulier
Only someone with no understanding of liberal history would treat fact-checking and free speech as a binary opposition. The whole point of free speech is that it gets us closer to the truth. Where free speech has no purchase in the truth, its purpose collapses.
January 10, 2025 at 9:02 AM
Only someone with no understanding of liberal history would treat fact-checking and free speech as a binary opposition. The whole point of free speech is that it gets us closer to the truth. Where free speech has no purchase in the truth, its purpose collapses.
On the nail.
I’m bemused by the fact that European governments, including the UK’s in this instance, are spending months hand-wringing about the awfulness of these social media companies. They run sovereign states!
Brazil seems to have found a backbone here. Maybe they could find one too…???
I’m bemused by the fact that European governments, including the UK’s in this instance, are spending months hand-wringing about the awfulness of these social media companies. They run sovereign states!
Brazil seems to have found a backbone here. Maybe they could find one too…???
New
The coming battle between social media and the state
Behind the alignment of X and Meta with Trump is a cold business logic — and a position of weakness rather than strength
By me, in todays @financialtimes.com
www.ft.com/content/917c...
The coming battle between social media and the state
Behind the alignment of X and Meta with Trump is a cold business logic — and a position of weakness rather than strength
By me, in todays @financialtimes.com
www.ft.com/content/917c...
January 12, 2025 at 7:29 AM
On the nail.
I’m bemused by the fact that European governments, including the UK’s in this instance, are spending months hand-wringing about the awfulness of these social media companies. They run sovereign states!
Brazil seems to have found a backbone here. Maybe they could find one too…???
I’m bemused by the fact that European governments, including the UK’s in this instance, are spending months hand-wringing about the awfulness of these social media companies. They run sovereign states!
Brazil seems to have found a backbone here. Maybe they could find one too…???
Reposted by François Raulier
Reposted by François Raulier
Anything to say about this, eh Tories??
“£60 million is being spaffed up the wall on some investigation into historic child abuse. What on earth is that going to do to protect the public now?” — Boris Johnson, speaking on LBC in March 2019.
Boris Johnson: Money Spent Investigating Historical Child Abuse Is "Spaffed Up The Wall" - LBC
YouTube video by LBC
youtu.be
January 6, 2025 at 8:39 PM
Anything to say about this, eh Tories??