Dick Flabbergastedly
@richmorrow.bsky.social
UK returnee, bit wet, major nerd, politics-addict, renewables and climate obsessee (professionally and personally), keeps some arcane lore.
Reposted by Dick Flabbergastedly
December 11, 2025 at 2:46 PM
24th November, first time I've heard 'All I want for Christmas' this year. Mariah Carey's bank account has just started ting ting tinging!
November 24, 2025 at 11:37 AM
24th November, first time I've heard 'All I want for Christmas' this year. Mariah Carey's bank account has just started ting ting tinging!
Reposted by Dick Flabbergastedly
My own personal Jesus?
Someone to hear my prayers?
Someone who cares?
Someone to hear my prayers?
Someone who cares?
The app Text With Jesus uses artificial intelligence and chatbots to offer spiritual guidance to users who are looking to connect with a higher power: on.nbc10.com/7XM8xrf
People can text with Jesus on a controversial new app. How does it work?
Artificial intelligence app Text With Jesus lets users chat with biblical figures and it is raising debate over faith and technology.
on.nbc10.com
November 14, 2025 at 11:11 PM
My own personal Jesus?
Someone to hear my prayers?
Someone who cares?
Someone to hear my prayers?
Someone who cares?
Reposted by Dick Flabbergastedly
Which one is more English?
November 6, 2025 at 11:58 AM
Which one is more English?
If you have a @financialtimes.com subscription, I suggest you read this. It's a jaw-dropping account of, to put it politely, monumental ambition being thwarted. Terrific work by @alisonkilling.bsky.social and the FT imagery team!
NEW: The End of the Line: the centrepiece of Saudi Arabia’s Neom gigaproject - a 500m tall, 170km long wall-like building intended ultimately to house 9 million people - can’t get out of the ground, say more than 20 former Neom architects, engineers and senior executives.
ig.ft.com/saudi-neom-l...
ig.ft.com/saudi-neom-l...
End of The Line: how Saudi Arabia’s Neom dream unravelled
Mohammed bin Salman’s utopian city was undone by the laws of physics and finance
ig.ft.com
November 6, 2025 at 12:52 PM
If you have a @financialtimes.com subscription, I suggest you read this. It's a jaw-dropping account of, to put it politely, monumental ambition being thwarted. Terrific work by @alisonkilling.bsky.social and the FT imagery team!
Reposted by Dick Flabbergastedly
Happy Halloween
October 31, 2025 at 10:35 PM
Happy Halloween
Reposted by Dick Flabbergastedly
Britain ran entirely on clean energy for 87 hours this year – a fiftyfold rise since 2021. Proof that progress is real, even if there’s a long road to 2030’s clean-power target.
@eastangliabylines.co.uk @seththevoz.bsky.social
@carbonbrief.org - with thanks.
@eastangliabylines.co.uk @seththevoz.bsky.social
@carbonbrief.org - with thanks.
Great Britain has run on 100% clean power for record 87 hours in 2025 so far
Clean-energy sources have powered Great Britain entirely for a record 87 hours this year — a milestone toward 2030 targets
eastangliabylines.co.uk
October 9, 2025 at 12:45 PM
Britain ran entirely on clean energy for 87 hours this year – a fiftyfold rise since 2021. Proof that progress is real, even if there’s a long road to 2030’s clean-power target.
@eastangliabylines.co.uk @seththevoz.bsky.social
@carbonbrief.org - with thanks.
@eastangliabylines.co.uk @seththevoz.bsky.social
@carbonbrief.org - with thanks.
Reposted by Dick Flabbergastedly
The world has lost its most powerful advocate for nature and hope. Yet many remain who will continue her legacy and I know she will continue to inspire generations more.
October 1, 2025 at 6:01 PM
The world has lost its most powerful advocate for nature and hope. Yet many remain who will continue her legacy and I know she will continue to inspire generations more.
Reposted by Dick Flabbergastedly
It's a racist lie, all of it, every word. The claims it is based on are false in fact, and repellent in morality. Merely having said it out loud without being unanimously howled down marks another moment of shameful descent for us as a nation.
As well as the fantasy £234 bn, journalists should also be clear Farage's claims most new migrants don't work, and those who do are on low wages, are entirely false.
In fact, 1.8 million recent migrants are on payrolls (others will be self employed).
migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/resources/co...
In fact, 1.8 million recent migrants are on payrolls (others will be self employed).
migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/resources/co...
September 22, 2025 at 12:48 PM
It's a racist lie, all of it, every word. The claims it is based on are false in fact, and repellent in morality. Merely having said it out loud without being unanimously howled down marks another moment of shameful descent for us as a nation.
An engrossing take from @stephenkb.bsky.social on what immigration levels mean for nations' economies, underscoring why it needs careful and nuanced storytelling to shift public narratives (plus: lovely pics!)
"Democracies risk falling into a doom loop, in which restrictions on immigration mean ever greater demands on the purse of the native-born population and ever worse services, which in turn deepens opposition towards immigration"
@stephenkb.bsky.social calls for honesty.
www.ft.com/content/43da...
@stephenkb.bsky.social calls for honesty.
www.ft.com/content/43da...
The truth about immigration
Ageing societies seeking to preserve living standards will continue to rely on new arrivals — but governments can be clearer about the trade-offs
www.ft.com
September 20, 2025 at 10:06 AM
An engrossing take from @stephenkb.bsky.social on what immigration levels mean for nations' economies, underscoring why it needs careful and nuanced storytelling to shift public narratives (plus: lovely pics!)
Reposted by Dick Flabbergastedly
Not quite how I'd paraphrase my Battle of Britain speech, but not far off.
September 17, 2025 at 6:27 AM
Not quite how I'd paraphrase my Battle of Britain speech, but not far off.
Reposted by Dick Flabbergastedly
"we cannot express our regrets profoundly enough, but it is our hope that you will use these two free passes to return to jurassic park"
US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau expressed regret on Sunday over the recent detention of hundreds of South Korean workers in Georgia and said those who returned home will face no disadvantage when re-entering the US
US Official Offers Regrets Over Detention of South Koreans
US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau on Sunday expressed regret over the recent detention of hundreds of South Korean workers in Georgia.
bloom.bg
September 14, 2025 at 9:25 PM
"we cannot express our regrets profoundly enough, but it is our hope that you will use these two free passes to return to jurassic park"
Reposted by Dick Flabbergastedly
"My school saves thousands of pounds every year from those solar panels." The TUC directly takes on Reform, a party funded by the fossil fuel Industry. Posted on IG by tradesunioncongress
September 10, 2025 at 7:38 AM
"My school saves thousands of pounds every year from those solar panels." The TUC directly takes on Reform, a party funded by the fossil fuel Industry. Posted on IG by tradesunioncongress
China has many, many issues but its tripling down on solar power is pretty amazing. And it's even beginning to bring down its overall carbon emissions! www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/chinas-carbon-emissions-fell-first-half-2025-study-shows-2025-08-21/
The scale of what China is doing is almost unimaginable
August 21, 2025 at 7:10 PM
China has many, many issues but its tripling down on solar power is pretty amazing. And it's even beginning to bring down its overall carbon emissions! www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/chinas-carbon-emissions-fell-first-half-2025-study-shows-2025-08-21/
Reposted by Dick Flabbergastedly
Manager: "What's this milestone 'Living on a prayer' ?"
Me: "That's the documentation deliverable."
Manager: "What's the status of that?"
Me: "We're halfway there"
Manager: "Why is progress so slow?"
Me: "You fired Tommy"
Manager: "So?"
Me: "Tommy used to work on the docs"
Me: "That's the documentation deliverable."
Manager: "What's the status of that?"
Me: "We're halfway there"
Manager: "Why is progress so slow?"
Me: "You fired Tommy"
Manager: "So?"
Me: "Tommy used to work on the docs"
February 23, 2025 at 9:12 PM
Manager: "What's this milestone 'Living on a prayer' ?"
Me: "That's the documentation deliverable."
Manager: "What's the status of that?"
Me: "We're halfway there"
Manager: "Why is progress so slow?"
Me: "You fired Tommy"
Manager: "So?"
Me: "Tommy used to work on the docs"
Me: "That's the documentation deliverable."
Manager: "What's the status of that?"
Me: "We're halfway there"
Manager: "Why is progress so slow?"
Me: "You fired Tommy"
Manager: "So?"
Me: "Tommy used to work on the docs"
Reposted by Dick Flabbergastedly
usually if you ask experts why an empire fell they’ll say it’s nuanced and multifaceted, so i think it’s kind of cool that with America future historians will get to just say like “oh they took the idiot train to moronsville”
August 10, 2025 at 3:36 AM
usually if you ask experts why an empire fell they’ll say it’s nuanced and multifaceted, so i think it’s kind of cool that with America future historians will get to just say like “oh they took the idiot train to moronsville”
Reposted by Dick Flabbergastedly
It's clearly not right that a platform now more watched than almost any traditional broadcaster is still operating under a 'lighter touch' advertising regime.
YouTube ads must be regulated much more like TV and radio ads to protect UK consumers from misleading or harmful content.
YouTube ads must be regulated much more like TV and radio ads to protect UK consumers from misleading or harmful content.
We cannot allow a two-tier system where traditional broadcasters face scrutiny, while a digital giant like YouTube is allowed to mark its own homework.
It's time for Ofcom to treat YouTube adverts like TV and crack down on the scam ads.
It's time for Ofcom to treat YouTube adverts like TV and crack down on the scam ads.
August 9, 2025 at 10:41 AM
It's clearly not right that a platform now more watched than almost any traditional broadcaster is still operating under a 'lighter touch' advertising regime.
YouTube ads must be regulated much more like TV and radio ads to protect UK consumers from misleading or harmful content.
YouTube ads must be regulated much more like TV and radio ads to protect UK consumers from misleading or harmful content.
Reposted by Dick Flabbergastedly
"The AI infrastructure build-out is so gigantic that in the past 6 months, it contributed more to the growth of the U.S. economy than /all of consumer spending/" - @mims.bsky.social
My takeway is that The US has gone ALL IN BET OF THE 21st Century on AI, while China has gone all in on green tech
My takeway is that The US has gone ALL IN BET OF THE 21st Century on AI, while China has gone all in on green tech
Original draft of syllabus is here - www.programmablemutter.com/p/the-politi... - still in need of a summary piece on the role of capital in shaping the AI economy
The Political Economy of AI: A Syllabus
As I’ve noted occasionally before, one of the most potentially useful things that academics do is preparing syllabi, and hence organizing information about the world.
www.programmablemutter.com
August 1, 2025 at 7:03 PM
"The AI infrastructure build-out is so gigantic that in the past 6 months, it contributed more to the growth of the U.S. economy than /all of consumer spending/" - @mims.bsky.social
My takeway is that The US has gone ALL IN BET OF THE 21st Century on AI, while China has gone all in on green tech
My takeway is that The US has gone ALL IN BET OF THE 21st Century on AI, while China has gone all in on green tech
I wonder if RFK Jr's DHHS will start posting pics of cigarettes next, declaring 'look cool, have fun, be a legend'.
struggling with an analogy here but imagine NASA posting a meme about how excited they are to return aviation to the pre-jet age
![u.s. department of energy post on x praising coal:
"She's an icon
She's a legend
And she is the moment
[sparkly picture of coal]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:fwks525g7gw5wc7ul2wg4wj5/bafkreiemlnocjpmihyy2yegdsvokmpk3vdrwkvaqbgpopxqbb4bgiebtqm@jpeg)
August 1, 2025 at 6:10 AM
I wonder if RFK Jr's DHHS will start posting pics of cigarettes next, declaring 'look cool, have fun, be a legend'.
When you put it like that, you make all those organic focused anti-vaxxers look craaaazy!
It has taken medical science 200 years to advance humans to the point where people are so healthy and living so long that they can deny that science and medicine is what got us here.
July 30, 2025 at 10:59 PM
When you put it like that, you make all those organic focused anti-vaxxers look craaaazy!
Reposted by Dick Flabbergastedly
Our neighbours in France have the courage to act.
Photos of emaciated Palestinian children horrifies us all. Now is the time for the UK to take action. No more stalling.
• recognise Palestinian statehood
• sanction Netanyahu
• demand the free access of aid
Photos of emaciated Palestinian children horrifies us all. Now is the time for the UK to take action. No more stalling.
• recognise Palestinian statehood
• sanction Netanyahu
• demand the free access of aid
July 25, 2025 at 7:18 AM
Our neighbours in France have the courage to act.
Photos of emaciated Palestinian children horrifies us all. Now is the time for the UK to take action. No more stalling.
• recognise Palestinian statehood
• sanction Netanyahu
• demand the free access of aid
Photos of emaciated Palestinian children horrifies us all. Now is the time for the UK to take action. No more stalling.
• recognise Palestinian statehood
• sanction Netanyahu
• demand the free access of aid
Reposted by Dick Flabbergastedly
Reposted by Dick Flabbergastedly
NEW: Tomorrow’s front page of Scottish newspaper, The National.
July 24, 2025 at 9:28 PM
NEW: Tomorrow’s front page of Scottish newspaper, The National.
Reposted by Dick Flabbergastedly
"Solar power was the European Union's largest source of electricity for the first time in June, overtaking nuclear and wind while coal's contribution fell to an all-time low."
☀️💪
☀️💪
Solar tops EU power mix for first time in June, Ember says
Solar power was the European Union's largest source of electricity for the first time in June, overtaking nuclear and wind while coal's contribution fell to an all-time low, data from energy think tank Ember showed on Thursday.
www.reuters.com
July 10, 2025 at 8:01 PM
"Solar power was the European Union's largest source of electricity for the first time in June, overtaking nuclear and wind while coal's contribution fell to an all-time low."
☀️💪
☀️💪
There's hope for us grey-haired editors yet! Cleaning up AI-generated slop!
"Ms Skidd spent about 20 hours rewriting the copy, charging $100 (£74) an hour. Rather than making small changes, she 'had to redo the whole thing'." - Looks like AI might create quite a few jobs for people who can think, and write, without using it.
July 5, 2025 at 9:45 AM
There's hope for us grey-haired editors yet! Cleaning up AI-generated slop!