Charles Martin-Shields
@charlesmartinshields.com
Senior researcher, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS). Working on forced displacement, digitalization, and conflict.
My book: https://bit.ly/4gjNQ09
Open access: https://bit.ly/3AXzbI2
My book: https://bit.ly/4gjNQ09
Open access: https://bit.ly/3AXzbI2
Reposted by Charles Martin-Shields
Really wish I had gotten a better shot of this but holding a phone that says “who else was just ‘following orders’?” up to a riot cop is hard as hell
November 11, 2025 at 6:18 AM
Really wish I had gotten a better shot of this but holding a phone that says “who else was just ‘following orders’?” up to a riot cop is hard as hell
Reposted by Charles Martin-Shields
The idea *suppliers* of fossil fuels are neutral meeters-of-demand remains one of the worst lies
Their job is not just digging up fossil fuels: their job is bullying, pushing, fighting, lying and lobbying to ensure fossil fuels get burned as much as possible
www.rigzone.com/news/wire/ch...
Their job is not just digging up fossil fuels: their job is bullying, pushing, fighting, lying and lobbying to ensure fossil fuels get burned as much as possible
www.rigzone.com/news/wire/ch...
November 11, 2025 at 9:29 AM
The idea *suppliers* of fossil fuels are neutral meeters-of-demand remains one of the worst lies
Their job is not just digging up fossil fuels: their job is bullying, pushing, fighting, lying and lobbying to ensure fossil fuels get burned as much as possible
www.rigzone.com/news/wire/ch...
Their job is not just digging up fossil fuels: their job is bullying, pushing, fighting, lying and lobbying to ensure fossil fuels get burned as much as possible
www.rigzone.com/news/wire/ch...
Reposted by Charles Martin-Shields
"Europe's top brass, from German Chancellor Friedrich #Merz and French President Emmanuel #Macron to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia #Meloni and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, will skip the #EU-CELAC Summit."
This is, probably, a huge mistake by the European leaders.
@ec.europa.eu
This is, probably, a huge mistake by the European leaders.
@ec.europa.eu
Europeans largely skip Latin American summit under Trump's shadow
Europeans largely skip Latin American summit under Trump's shadow
Top European leadership is set to skip the EU-CELAC summit on Sunday marked by tensions between the United States and Colombia. Donald Trump is also pursuing an aggressive policy on Venezuela, with Nicolás Maduro in focus. Europeans cite low attendance to cancel summit participation.
l.euronews.com
November 9, 2025 at 1:09 PM
"Europe's top brass, from German Chancellor Friedrich #Merz and French President Emmanuel #Macron to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia #Meloni and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, will skip the #EU-CELAC Summit."
This is, probably, a huge mistake by the European leaders.
@ec.europa.eu
This is, probably, a huge mistake by the European leaders.
@ec.europa.eu
Reposted by Charles Martin-Shields
I'm on Sunday duty at @defector.com today! First up, my newser on the airport crisis. Spoiler: Trump is fucking you. defector.com/if-youre-stu...
If You’re Stuck At An Airport Right Now, It’s Because Trump Fucked You | Defector
You picked a bad weekend to fly. Over 1,500 flights in the US were cancelled yesterday, and over 1,200 over them have already been cancelled this morning. One of those may have been yours. You’re stuc...
defector.com
November 9, 2025 at 3:38 PM
I'm on Sunday duty at @defector.com today! First up, my newser on the airport crisis. Spoiler: Trump is fucking you. defector.com/if-youre-stu...
I can’t believe how long it took me to getting around to watching Taskmaster, but better late than never
November 9, 2025 at 12:31 PM
I can’t believe how long it took me to getting around to watching Taskmaster, but better late than never
Reposted by Charles Martin-Shields
40 men Trump sent to CECOT tell the NYT they were beaten, tortured, and sexually assaulted. The details are worse than you can imagine.
We can’t let them get away with this. Miller and the other architects of this sadism need to go to prison.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/08/w...
We can’t let them get away with this. Miller and the other architects of this sadism need to go to prison.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/08/w...
‘You Are All Terrorists’: Four Months in a Salvadoran Prison
www.nytimes.com
November 9, 2025 at 2:20 AM
40 men Trump sent to CECOT tell the NYT they were beaten, tortured, and sexually assaulted. The details are worse than you can imagine.
We can’t let them get away with this. Miller and the other architects of this sadism need to go to prison.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/08/w...
We can’t let them get away with this. Miller and the other architects of this sadism need to go to prison.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/08/w...
Reposted by Charles Martin-Shields
I know this is pedantic, but Kim Davis was not "jailed for refusing to issue same-sex marriage licenses." She was jailed for contempt of court because she refused to follow a court order (she had stopped issuing all marriage licenses). NYT makes it sound like the Woke Police broke down her door.
November 7, 2025 at 9:35 PM
I know this is pedantic, but Kim Davis was not "jailed for refusing to issue same-sex marriage licenses." She was jailed for contempt of court because she refused to follow a court order (she had stopped issuing all marriage licenses). NYT makes it sound like the Woke Police broke down her door.
Reposted by Charles Martin-Shields
Not over the fact that they called their shot, followed through, and people I'm supposed to believe are "objective" and "trustworthy" still joined in the fun of attacking a Black woman
November 7, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Not over the fact that they called their shot, followed through, and people I'm supposed to believe are "objective" and "trustworthy" still joined in the fun of attacking a Black woman
Reposted by Charles Martin-Shields
Trump defeated the establishments of both parties to become president twice, break most civic and legal norms of import, end-run the Constitution's safeguards against Trump-like figures, survive numerous career-ending scandals, and now single-handedly holds a party together that would have spent
Trump has gotten huge numbers of infrequent voters to the polls, twice. He's deeply unpopular but has mobilized a large, unprecedented coalition of Americans motivated by some combination of ignorance, avarice, and cruelty. It is hard to describe what he has as something other than charisma
His charisma is fundamentally incompatible with me (and likely many of the people on Bluesky) but it’s kind of insane to say it doesn’t exist
November 7, 2025 at 12:13 PM
Trump defeated the establishments of both parties to become president twice, break most civic and legal norms of import, end-run the Constitution's safeguards against Trump-like figures, survive numerous career-ending scandals, and now single-handedly holds a party together that would have spent
Reposted by Charles Martin-Shields
Dear GOD if you want to save money in the asylum system
1. LET ASYLUM SEEKERS WORK
2. FAST TRACK STATUS FOR EVERYONE FROM CLEARLY UNDAFE COUNTRIES like Sudan, Syria, etc
3. Run an asylum accommodation system that is NOT FOR PROFIT #r4today
1. LET ASYLUM SEEKERS WORK
2. FAST TRACK STATUS FOR EVERYONE FROM CLEARLY UNDAFE COUNTRIES like Sudan, Syria, etc
3. Run an asylum accommodation system that is NOT FOR PROFIT #r4today
November 7, 2025 at 7:35 AM
Dear GOD if you want to save money in the asylum system
1. LET ASYLUM SEEKERS WORK
2. FAST TRACK STATUS FOR EVERYONE FROM CLEARLY UNDAFE COUNTRIES like Sudan, Syria, etc
3. Run an asylum accommodation system that is NOT FOR PROFIT #r4today
1. LET ASYLUM SEEKERS WORK
2. FAST TRACK STATUS FOR EVERYONE FROM CLEARLY UNDAFE COUNTRIES like Sudan, Syria, etc
3. Run an asylum accommodation system that is NOT FOR PROFIT #r4today
Reposted by Charles Martin-Shields
Abolish. Fire. Prosecute.
This is the *moderate* position, by the way.
This is the *moderate* position, by the way.
November 7, 2025 at 8:17 AM
Abolish. Fire. Prosecute.
This is the *moderate* position, by the way.
This is the *moderate* position, by the way.
Reposted by Charles Martin-Shields
Given the Mamdani discourse, I wrote a bit about billionaires. If you were given $100 a day and aimed to have as much wealth as the world’s billionaires, you’d have had to have started about when animals first developed the ability to breathe oxygen.
s2.washingtonpost.com/camp-rw/?tra...
s2.washingtonpost.com/camp-rw/?tra...
July 1, 2025 at 3:17 AM
Given the Mamdani discourse, I wrote a bit about billionaires. If you were given $100 a day and aimed to have as much wealth as the world’s billionaires, you’d have had to have started about when animals first developed the ability to breathe oxygen.
s2.washingtonpost.com/camp-rw/?tra...
s2.washingtonpost.com/camp-rw/?tra...
Reposted by Charles Martin-Shields
Reposted by Charles Martin-Shields
this looks like a trick daffy duck would put up to get bugs bunny into "the oval office"
November 5, 2025 at 11:04 PM
this looks like a trick daffy duck would put up to get bugs bunny into "the oval office"
Reposted by Charles Martin-Shields
Vital piece of investigative reporting from Sky. They've uncovered the X algorithm which feeds users extremist right wing material from the moment they join the site. It is a far-right radicalisation engine, by design.
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
Elon Musk is boosting the British right - and this shows how
Elon Musk is boosting the British right - and this shows how
news.sky.com
November 6, 2025 at 7:23 AM
Vital piece of investigative reporting from Sky. They've uncovered the X algorithm which feeds users extremist right wing material from the moment they join the site. It is a far-right radicalisation engine, by design.
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
Reposted by Charles Martin-Shields
i closed out my column this week with this preemptive jab at basically every commentator currently looking for ways to say that last night didn’t count
November 5, 2025 at 3:21 PM
i closed out my column this week with this preemptive jab at basically every commentator currently looking for ways to say that last night didn’t count
Reposted by Charles Martin-Shields
Honestly, one of the great American poems. Arguably the great American poem.
November 5, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Honestly, one of the great American poems. Arguably the great American poem.
Reposted by Charles Martin-Shields
ah, perhaps instead of pumping millions into endless factional infighting Dem donors could invest in making local Dem organizations genuine civic spaces that can reach people during and between elections
November 5, 2025 at 12:49 PM
ah, perhaps instead of pumping millions into endless factional infighting Dem donors could invest in making local Dem organizations genuine civic spaces that can reach people during and between elections
Reposted by Charles Martin-Shields
Thus begins the #dadjoke thread for 2025 bsky.app/profile/hist...
Hey did I tell y’all what my New Year’s resolution is?
1024 x 768
1024 x 768
January 4, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Thus begins the #dadjoke thread for 2025 bsky.app/profile/hist...
Dick Cheney was a monster, but instead of write a long post, here’s @albertburneko.bsky.social’s Cheney obituary, which says everything I’d like to say and is written 100x better.
defector.com/dick-cheney-...
defector.com/dick-cheney-...
Dick Cheney Departs The World He Made | Defector
At its heart, American conservatism is a fantasy. It’s a vision of a world too evil to be saved or cared about, and fearsome enough to justify any and every impulse toward cruelty and violence that a ...
defector.com
November 4, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Dick Cheney was a monster, but instead of write a long post, here’s @albertburneko.bsky.social’s Cheney obituary, which says everything I’d like to say and is written 100x better.
defector.com/dick-cheney-...
defector.com/dick-cheney-...
Reposted by Charles Martin-Shields
Due to the Chatham House Rule, nobody can report that I’m the one in the back of every meeting who yells “It’s not Chatham House Rules! There’s only one rule!” and causes everyone to groan
October 7, 2025 at 9:03 AM
Due to the Chatham House Rule, nobody can report that I’m the one in the back of every meeting who yells “It’s not Chatham House Rules! There’s only one rule!” and causes everyone to groan
Reposted by Charles Martin-Shields
Wadephul ist der einzige in der Regierung, der sich selbst ein Bild machte von den Zuständen in Syrien und daraus seine Haltung zu Abschiebungen ableitet. Dass seine Partei deshalb über ihn herfällt, zeigt, wo die CDU mittlerweile steht: Taktik und Ideologie sind alles, Humanität und Recht nichts.
November 3, 2025 at 6:58 AM
Wadephul ist der einzige in der Regierung, der sich selbst ein Bild machte von den Zuständen in Syrien und daraus seine Haltung zu Abschiebungen ableitet. Dass seine Partei deshalb über ihn herfällt, zeigt, wo die CDU mittlerweile steht: Taktik und Ideologie sind alles, Humanität und Recht nichts.
When Merz became chancellor, my biggest thought was that he’s a complete dilettante and a bad politician. This is a perfect case in point: he has no authority over CDU’s back bench. No one in CDU fears him. Compare this to Merkel: She had authority and the skill to use it.
CDU: Parteikollegen kritisieren Außenminister Johann Wadephul für Aussagen zu Syrien-Rückkehr: Sollten syrische Flüchtlinge nun wieder in ihre Heimat zurückkehren? Außenminister Wadephul hatte Bedenken vorgebracht. In seiner Partei sorgt der CDU-Politiker damit für Entrüstung.
CDU: Parteikollegen kritisieren Außenminister Johann Wadephul für Aussagen zu Syrien-Rückkehr
Sollten syrische Flüchtlinge nun wieder in ihre Heimat zurückkehren? Außenminister Wadephul hatte Bedenken vorgebracht. In seiner Partei sorgt der CDU-Politiker damit für Entrüstung.
www.spiegel.de
November 3, 2025 at 11:46 AM
When Merz became chancellor, my biggest thought was that he’s a complete dilettante and a bad politician. This is a perfect case in point: he has no authority over CDU’s back bench. No one in CDU fears him. Compare this to Merkel: She had authority and the skill to use it.
Reposted by Charles Martin-Shields
I decided this morning that I will now approach every online video I see as fake - and attempt to be doubly wary if it supports or illustrates my main prejudices.
Look folks gen AI videos are out in the wild so if you weren't already being careful about sharing rage bait videos then now is a great time to start
If you can't trace a video back to a trusted source then I recommend leaving it where it is, like a slice of bologna you found on the street
If you can't trace a video back to a trusted source then I recommend leaving it where it is, like a slice of bologna you found on the street
November 2, 2025 at 9:58 PM
I decided this morning that I will now approach every online video I see as fake - and attempt to be doubly wary if it supports or illustrates my main prejudices.
Reposted by Charles Martin-Shields
their plainly stated goal is to starve forty million people until they get what they want, which is to rip health care away from millions more
that this is too monstrous for most news organizations to tell the truth about does not change the facts
that this is too monstrous for most news organizations to tell the truth about does not change the facts
The USDA sent an email to grocery stores telling them they are prohibited from offering special discounts to customers affected by the SNAP funding lapse.
I'm aware of at least 2 stores that had offered struggling customers a discount, then withdrew it after receiving this email
I'm aware of at least 2 stores that had offered struggling customers a discount, then withdrew it after receiving this email
November 2, 2025 at 7:53 PM
their plainly stated goal is to starve forty million people until they get what they want, which is to rip health care away from millions more
that this is too monstrous for most news organizations to tell the truth about does not change the facts
that this is too monstrous for most news organizations to tell the truth about does not change the facts