Ted Fickes
@tedfickes.bsky.social
I run Bright+3 which provides content, community and fundraising strategy to nonprofit leaders. I also run the Future Community newsletter and jobs list. All that and more at https://brightplus3.com
Reposted by Ted Fickes
It was the evening before Thanksgiving...and EPA dropped a final rule granting oil & gas companies more than a year to comply with some Biden-era mandates to replace leaky equipment & routinely monitor for escaped methane.
Story w/gift link @bloomberg.com: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Story w/gift link @bloomberg.com: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
New EPA Rule Gives Oil, Gas Firms More Time to Fix Equipment Leaking Methane
The Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday finalized a rule granting oil and gas operators more than a year in additional time to comply with mandates set by former President Joe Biden to replac...
www.bloomberg.com
November 27, 2025 at 12:42 AM
It was the evening before Thanksgiving...and EPA dropped a final rule granting oil & gas companies more than a year to comply with some Biden-era mandates to replace leaky equipment & routinely monitor for escaped methane.
Story w/gift link @bloomberg.com: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Story w/gift link @bloomberg.com: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Reposted by Ted Fickes
Everyone knows data centers use a ton of water.
What hardly anyone knows: they can poison the water that remains.
And in eastern Oregon, Amazon is doing exactly that.
What hardly anyone knows: they can poison the water that remains.
And in eastern Oregon, Amazon is doing exactly that.
AI’s water problem is worse than we thought
A new investigation reveals how Amazon is amplifying Oregon’s nitrate pollution crisis.
heated.world
November 25, 2025 at 8:20 PM
Everyone knows data centers use a ton of water.
What hardly anyone knows: they can poison the water that remains.
And in eastern Oregon, Amazon is doing exactly that.
What hardly anyone knows: they can poison the water that remains.
And in eastern Oregon, Amazon is doing exactly that.
Reposted by Ted Fickes
Thinking of the dangerous conditions poultry workers face to feed America: sentientmedia.org/the-hidden-c...
Heat Exhaustion, Amputated Fingers, Crushed Limbs: The Hidden Cost of American Turkey
Three charts reveal details of the 351 workplace injuries experienced by turkey industry workers in 2024, which include severed fingers, injured corneas and musculoskeletal disorders.
sentientmedia.org
November 25, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Thinking of the dangerous conditions poultry workers face to feed America: sentientmedia.org/the-hidden-c...
Reposted by Ted Fickes
shared with consent from friend who was on site for this latest gassing of neighbors gathering outside for their community in Minnesota.
November 25, 2025 at 10:15 PM
shared with consent from friend who was on site for this latest gassing of neighbors gathering outside for their community in Minnesota.
Reposted by Ted Fickes
Ice is gassing neighbors in St. Paul this morning g during a paramilitary fascist raid on the city.
November 25, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Ice is gassing neighbors in St. Paul this morning g during a paramilitary fascist raid on the city.
Reposted by Ted Fickes
One of the big tidal forces of the coming years is that the baseline reliability of things you see on a screen is going to decline.
I think this has not been adequately metabolized.
This is one version, but there are a bunch of them.
I think this has not been adequately metabolized.
This is one version, but there are a bunch of them.
NEW: AI “recipe slop” is overrunning search and social. Food creators say Google’s AI Overviews and glossy fake food pics are drowning out real, tested recipes — collapsing traffic and setting home cooks up for disaster, especially this Thanksgiving.
Gift link: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Gift link: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
AI Slop Recipes Are Taking Over the Internet -- And Thanksgiving Dinner
Food bloggers see traffic dip as home cooks turn to AI, inspired by impossible pictures
www.bloomberg.com
November 25, 2025 at 9:39 PM
One of the big tidal forces of the coming years is that the baseline reliability of things you see on a screen is going to decline.
I think this has not been adequately metabolized.
This is one version, but there are a bunch of them.
I think this has not been adequately metabolized.
This is one version, but there are a bunch of them.
Ladies and gentlemen, we are truly living in an American golden age of big ideas and leadership.
Sean Duffy: "Dressing with respect -- whether it's a pair of jeans and a decent shirt, I would encourage people to maybe dress a little better which encourages us to maybe behave a little better. Let's try not to wear slippers and pajamas as we come to the airport."
November 24, 2025 at 9:02 PM
Ladies and gentlemen, we are truly living in an American golden age of big ideas and leadership.
I had a geography professor at Northwestern, the legendary John Hudson, who said that every US city had a natural reason to exist. On a navigable bay. Crossroads of rivers. Gold mines. Or water or salt deposits that created wildlife centers.
Every city except Dallas which had no reason at all.
Every city except Dallas which had no reason at all.
Dallas is the future of America-- physically, spiritually, and politically. I went to the fastest-growing city in America to see what is in store for us all.
Today, the final part of my story: Sprawling to Freedom.
www.hamiltonnolan.com/p/america-is...
Today, the final part of my story: Sprawling to Freedom.
www.hamiltonnolan.com/p/america-is...
America Is Becoming Dallas
Part Two: Sprawling to Freedom
www.hamiltonnolan.com
November 24, 2025 at 5:32 PM
I had a geography professor at Northwestern, the legendary John Hudson, who said that every US city had a natural reason to exist. On a navigable bay. Crossroads of rivers. Gold mines. Or water or salt deposits that created wildlife centers.
Every city except Dallas which had no reason at all.
Every city except Dallas which had no reason at all.
Reposted by Ted Fickes
LLMs aren’t “neutral” by default — they’re products.
Products reflect the goals, risk tolerance, and incentives of the companies that build them.
Products reflect the goals, risk tolerance, and incentives of the companies that build them.
November 23, 2025 at 7:48 PM
LLMs aren’t “neutral” by default — they’re products.
Products reflect the goals, risk tolerance, and incentives of the companies that build them.
Products reflect the goals, risk tolerance, and incentives of the companies that build them.
Reposted by Ted Fickes
Opinion | How the Elite Behave When No One Is Watching: Inside the Epstein Emails
www.nytimes.com
November 23, 2025 at 4:47 PM
These numbers crack me up. Big difference between having once created an account, logging in once every 12 months, and being an actual user.
X is still used by 21% of U.S. adults, Pew found, only down from 23% in 2021, despite increased competition from Meta, startups, and decentralized social media.
Pew's latest social media report shows X's staying power in the U.S., despite competition | TechCrunch
X is still used by 21% of U.S. adults, Pew found, only down from 23% in 2021, despite increased competition from Meta, startups, and decentralized social media.
techcrunch.com
November 22, 2025 at 4:44 PM
These numbers crack me up. Big difference between having once created an account, logging in once every 12 months, and being an actual user.
Pretty sure I had to replace this CD at least once because it was on constant repeat. Huge bass lines.
One of the best baselines ever. So simple but huge. RIP Mani.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4D2q...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4D2q...
The Stone Roses - I Wanna Be Adored (Official Video)
YouTube video by StoneRosesVEVO
www.youtube.com
November 21, 2025 at 2:37 PM
Pretty sure I had to replace this CD at least once because it was on constant repeat. Huge bass lines.
And in today's news:
A painfully pointless nation spends the holiday season debating the merits of pajama clad travel.
A painfully pointless nation spends the holiday season debating the merits of pajama clad travel.
Trump's Transportation Secretary on how to improve air travel:
"People dress up like they're going to bed when they fly... We want to push people as we come into a really busy travel season, help people out, be in a good mood, dress up"
"People dress up like they're going to bed when they fly... We want to push people as we come into a really busy travel season, help people out, be in a good mood, dress up"
November 20, 2025 at 10:49 PM
And in today's news:
A painfully pointless nation spends the holiday season debating the merits of pajama clad travel.
A painfully pointless nation spends the holiday season debating the merits of pajama clad travel.
Nothing google hates more than an actual customer...
If you turn off AI machine learning, Google will punish you by getting rid of your promotions/social inboxes and turning your primary into CHAOS 😭
If anyone finds a way around this, I’ll be eternally grateful
If anyone finds a way around this, I’ll be eternally grateful
If you use GMail, AI (Gemini) was turned on yesterday by default and now scans all of your content for machine learning. To turn off, go to Settings>General and scroll down. Uncheck the box for "Smart features."
There's other "Smart" add-ons as well, but that's the one that reads your content.
There's other "Smart" add-ons as well, but that's the one that reads your content.
November 20, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Nothing google hates more than an actual customer...
To restate this...
the extraordinary amounts of money going into AI companies is completely dependent on paying very little for natural resources and even paying even less to contribute to societal pollution and climate change impacts.
the extraordinary amounts of money going into AI companies is completely dependent on paying very little for natural resources and even paying even less to contribute to societal pollution and climate change impacts.
Always follow the money. AI and energy companies have an extraordinary interest in ripping apart any kind of progress on climate and clean energy. Here they offer a deep dive.
open.substack.com/pub/a16z/p/g...
open.substack.com/pub/a16z/p/g...
Gas-Fired Intelligence
Everything you need to know about the resource powering AI
open.substack.com
November 20, 2025 at 4:43 PM
To restate this...
the extraordinary amounts of money going into AI companies is completely dependent on paying very little for natural resources and even paying even less to contribute to societal pollution and climate change impacts.
the extraordinary amounts of money going into AI companies is completely dependent on paying very little for natural resources and even paying even less to contribute to societal pollution and climate change impacts.
Reposted by Ted Fickes
Leaning in to “Let’s just be assholes” ithacavoice.org/2025/11/feds...
Feds tell county to cease naturalization ceremonies - The Ithaca Voice
ITHACA, N.Y. — Tompkins County officials received a directive from federal immigration officials to cease all local naturalization ceremonies. Naturalization ceremonies are typically held throughout t...
ithacavoice.org
November 20, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Leaning in to “Let’s just be assholes” ithacavoice.org/2025/11/feds...
Reposted by Ted Fickes
The University of Colorado banned 3 student journalists from campus and charged them with code-of-conduct violations after they covered a Students for Justice in Palestine protest against Lockheed Martin for student publication El Diario de la Gente
CU Boulder bans student journalists from campus after they covered a pro-Palestine protest
The University of Colorado Boulder banned three student journalists from campus and charged them with code of conduct violations after they covered a pro-Palestine protest in October.
www.dailycamera.com
November 20, 2025 at 3:25 PM
The University of Colorado banned 3 student journalists from campus and charged them with code-of-conduct violations after they covered a Students for Justice in Palestine protest against Lockheed Martin for student publication El Diario de la Gente
Always follow the money. AI and energy companies have an extraordinary interest in ripping apart any kind of progress on climate and clean energy. Here they offer a deep dive.
open.substack.com/pub/a16z/p/g...
open.substack.com/pub/a16z/p/g...
Gas-Fired Intelligence
Everything you need to know about the resource powering AI
open.substack.com
November 20, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Always follow the money. AI and energy companies have an extraordinary interest in ripping apart any kind of progress on climate and clean energy. Here they offer a deep dive.
open.substack.com/pub/a16z/p/g...
open.substack.com/pub/a16z/p/g...
And if you walk long enough you'll fall off the edge of the Earth. That is, of course, a pandemic free place.
The only way to understand this is to realize that they are eugenicists.
To Survive the Next Pandemic, Walk More, the NIH Says
The agency is picking up Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s argument that a healthy immune system can keep even pandemic germs at bay.
www.theatlantic.com
November 19, 2025 at 10:51 PM
And if you walk long enough you'll fall off the edge of the Earth. That is, of course, a pandemic free place.
Reposted by Ted Fickes
If you drill (pun intended) into all the U.S. "permitting reform" legislation now circulating, you'll find the ideas are, by and large, all longstanding demands of the fossil fuel industry.
"Abundance," at the federal level, was leveraged by centrist pundits/think tanks ...
"Abundance," at the federal level, was leveraged by centrist pundits/think tanks ...
the fossil fuel industry really loves 'permitting reform'
From @caadcoalition.bsky.social's latest newsletter:
caad.activehosted.com/index.php?ac...
From @caadcoalition.bsky.social's latest newsletter:
caad.activehosted.com/index.php?ac...
November 19, 2025 at 3:31 PM
If you drill (pun intended) into all the U.S. "permitting reform" legislation now circulating, you'll find the ideas are, by and large, all longstanding demands of the fossil fuel industry.
"Abundance," at the federal level, was leveraged by centrist pundits/think tanks ...
"Abundance," at the federal level, was leveraged by centrist pundits/think tanks ...
Reposted by Ted Fickes
All the VSPs decided that we can't talk about climate any more, and the entire climate establishment pathetically acceded, nonetheless: climate change is still very real! And Trump is going to rack up Holocaust-style numbers with his anti-climate policies.
Trump’s Anti-Green Agenda Could Lead to 1.3 Million More Climate Deaths. The Poorest Countries Will Be Impacted Most.
Most of the people expected to suffer these temperature-related deaths live in poor countries in Africa and South Asia that are least prepared to cope with the increasing heat from climate change.
www.propublica.org
November 19, 2025 at 7:50 PM
All the VSPs decided that we can't talk about climate any more, and the entire climate establishment pathetically acceded, nonetheless: climate change is still very real! And Trump is going to rack up Holocaust-style numbers with his anti-climate policies.
Reposted by Ted Fickes
the only real way to think about these raids is terrorist attacks
Over 20,000 students stayed home from school Monday in Charlotte amid ICE raids, representing 15% of enrollment
The district is nearly one-third Hispanic, per WBTV
www.wbtv.com/2025/11/18/n...
The district is nearly one-third Hispanic, per WBTV
www.wbtv.com/2025/11/18/n...
Nearly 21,000 Charlotte-Mecklenburg students absent from school on Monday, officials say
Officials did not make it clear if the absences were connected to the on-going immigration operation in the city.
www.wbtv.com
November 18, 2025 at 10:58 PM
the only real way to think about these raids is terrorist attacks
Reposted by Ted Fickes
ICE has been raiding my neighborhood and surrounding ones for the last couple of weeks now. They commandeered my local church (against the pastor's will) for a staging site and raided supermarkets, parks, Goodwills, bus stops, you name it.
The national media's been silent. So has @mayor.lacity.gov.
The national media's been silent. So has @mayor.lacity.gov.
Engagement on our updates re: ICE kidnappings/fed siege of Los Angeles is significantly lower on Bluesky compared to Twitter. Do ppl on here not care about LA anymore? Are feeds being taken over by liberal commentators? What's going on?
Community members on the ground can't do it all. We need help.
Community members on the ground can't do it all. We need help.
The feds are escalating in Los Angeles. We've seen record high kidnappings and our communities are under attack. The media focus on LA has died down so electeds don't feel the need to even feign opposition.
People are out here fighting. We need all of us. Join the struggle. Defend your neighbors.
People are out here fighting. We need all of us. Join the struggle. Defend your neighbors.
November 18, 2025 at 11:54 PM
ICE has been raiding my neighborhood and surrounding ones for the last couple of weeks now. They commandeered my local church (against the pastor's will) for a staging site and raided supermarkets, parks, Goodwills, bus stops, you name it.
The national media's been silent. So has @mayor.lacity.gov.
The national media's been silent. So has @mayor.lacity.gov.
The pivot to video started earlier than previously reported.
The OSS made an incredible TRAINING FILM, directed by JOHN FORD, about the dos and donts of nonofficial cover. It’s great!
m.youtube.com/watch?v=oJJf...
m.youtube.com/watch?v=oJJf...
World War 2 Spy Training Film: Undercover | OSS Film | ca. 1944
YouTube video by The Best Film Archives
m.youtube.com
November 18, 2025 at 11:31 PM
The pivot to video started earlier than previously reported.
Reposted by Ted Fickes
🧪 NEW STUDY:
14% of Americans (46.6 million people) live within one mile of at least one piece of fossil fuel infrastructure across all stages of the supply chain.
This proximity is known to cause health harms.
🧵
www.bu.edu/igs/2025/11/...
14% of Americans (46.6 million people) live within one mile of at least one piece of fossil fuel infrastructure across all stages of the supply chain.
This proximity is known to cause health harms.
🧵
www.bu.edu/igs/2025/11/...
Nearly 47 Million Americans Are at High Risk of Potential Health Hazards from Fossil Fuel Infrastructure | Institute for Global Sustainability
www.bu.edu
November 18, 2025 at 7:52 PM
🧪 NEW STUDY:
14% of Americans (46.6 million people) live within one mile of at least one piece of fossil fuel infrastructure across all stages of the supply chain.
This proximity is known to cause health harms.
🧵
www.bu.edu/igs/2025/11/...
14% of Americans (46.6 million people) live within one mile of at least one piece of fossil fuel infrastructure across all stages of the supply chain.
This proximity is known to cause health harms.
🧵
www.bu.edu/igs/2025/11/...