Hisham Zerriffi
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hishamzerriffi.bsky.social
Hisham Zerriffi
@hishamzerriffi.bsky.social
17K followers 7.7K following 2.8K posts

Energy Resources, Development and Environment Lab (ERDELab) PI, @UBCforestry Assc Dean EDI. Energy, equity, justice, climate change, bioenergy. But also TTRPGs and photography (https://pixelfed.social/i/web/profile/499807930552574625). he/him. .. more

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hishamzerriffi.bsky.social
Hisham Zerriffi @hishamzerriffi.bsky.social · Nov 8
Hello new Bluesky followers!

A re-intro:

Academic in Forestry faculty but not a forester. Work on energy, land-use, climate, equity, justice. Often at intersection of energy & forests.

With a dash of TTRPGs, nerdy stuff and politics.

And photography:

portfolio.pixelfed.social/nomademoderne
@nomademoderne's Portfolio
portfolio.pixelfed.social

hishamzerriffi.bsky.social
Hisham Zerriffi @hishamzerriffi.bsky.social · 1d
The Teaching Assistant Union at Carleton University is asking for AI guardrails for their work. The basic demands can be seen on their website.

Really interested in seeing if other unions will follow suit.
Open Letter: Demanding AI Guardrails at Carleton - CUPE 4600
TAs are fighting for AI Guardrails at Carleton University. We need your help! Carleton has refused to engage with proposals that would protect Teaching Assistants from: having their work reduced or re...
cupe4600.ca

hishamzerriffi.bsky.social
Hisham Zerriffi @hishamzerriffi.bsky.social · 1d
Ever have that fantasy where you are a master thief who uses their skills for good? No, just me?

Anyway, now there’s a game that lets you do just that by stealing and repatriating African artifacts.
Video game Relooted tasks you with reclaiming African artifacts in museums | CBC News
Relooted, a new video game from African-based studio Nyamakop, tasks players with stealing real-life African artifacts from museums and private mansions to return them to their rightful historical own...
www.cbc.ca

hishamzerriffi.bsky.social
Hisham Zerriffi @hishamzerriffi.bsky.social · 1d
Not the same thing, but getting to pretend to do magic playing TTRPGs is an ok consolation prize if they every get into that.

hishamzerriffi.bsky.social
Hisham Zerriffi @hishamzerriffi.bsky.social · 1d
This is 100% true.

I'll go one further. Years ago I misheard Kid2 and thought they didn't understand something about trans people. I simplified a bit in my explanation. Turns out not only did Kid2 not need it explained, they corrected my simplification. They got it. Wasn't hard.
amybrown.xyz amy brown @amybrown.xyz · 2d
always so funny to me when people are like “how am I supposed to explain Gay to my kids?” my kid asks me way harder shit all the time. “why did they build the road this way? why are some people bad?” I don’t know. please ask me about Gay

Reposted by Tim Bale, James Goodwin, Hisham Zerriffi

amybrown.xyz
amy brown @amybrown.xyz · 2d
always so funny to me when people are like “how am I supposed to explain Gay to my kids?” my kid asks me way harder shit all the time. “why did they build the road this way? why are some people bad?” I don’t know. please ask me about Gay

Reposted by Hisham Zerriffi

loganemitchell.bsky.social
Logan Mitchell PhD @loganemitchell.bsky.social · 2d
Context and quote from me in the this @sltrib.com article.

It should be alarming to anyone in Utah that Rocky Mountain Power/PacifiCorp isn't planning to build any new solar, wind, or battery storage in the next 20 years for Utah. #utpol

Reposted by Hisham Zerriffi

charlenedraws.bsky.social
Charlene Chua @charlenedraws.bsky.social · 2d
This book has the most scathing dedication by an illustrator I have ever seen (and he is completely right)

#kidlit
Photo of I Will Not Be Scared picture book Photo of the dedication page of I Will Not Be Scared

Reposted by Nandita Sharma, Matthew Bunn, Steve Peers , and 22 more

reichlinmelnick.bsky.social
Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 2d
ICE has now spent over half a BILLION dollars just on purchasing warehouses around the country to convert into detention camps.

If these mega-camps are utilized to the full capacity ICE intends, they'll be the largest prisons in the country, with little real oversight. www.ajc.com/politics/202...
ICE to begin detaining immigrants inside Social Circle warehouse in April
Homeland Security plans to build warehouse detention facilities in other cities being met with opposition.
www.ajc.com

hishamzerriffi.bsky.social
Hisham Zerriffi @hishamzerriffi.bsky.social · 4d
The panel chair who is a gazillion years old and not happy.

Not happy at all at these young whippersnapper academics and their new fangled methods overturning the discipline.

hishamzerriffi.bsky.social
Hisham Zerriffi @hishamzerriffi.bsky.social · 4d
It’s great that my local grocery store always has sales for diverse holidays.

But these Ramadan sales are cracking me up. Charitably, it might work for S. Asian muslims. But even then, seems like they just put on a grab-bag of items from that part of their int’l food aisle.
Part of a grocery store flyer. On the top left it says “Ramadan Mubarak” and the rest of it is various S. Asian food items that are on sale like basmati rice and paneer.

hishamzerriffi.bsky.social
Hisham Zerriffi @hishamzerriffi.bsky.social · 4d
I don’t know. Maybe the problem isn’t the legislation implementing the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People.

Maybe it’s a mineral claims process that seems to be from the 1800s.
B.C. seeks to challenge landmark court ruling over mineral rights and DRIPA | CBC News
British Columbia has applied to the Supreme Court of Canada to hear an appeal against a landmark court ruling that found the province's mineral claims regime was "inconsistent" with the United Nations...
www.cbc.ca

hishamzerriffi.bsky.social
Hisham Zerriffi @hishamzerriffi.bsky.social · 4d
If this is how life is going to imitate art, where is my tiger friend to go on adventures with?

Reposted by Katharine Hayhoe, Richard S.J. Tol, Dorothy Bishop , and 46 more

histoftech.bsky.social
jennifer uncoolidge @histoftech.bsky.social · 5d
No joke: I got angry hate mail today for writing an obituary of a Black woman scientist—because the person felt she did didn’t deserve the recognition.

Which just makes me want to share it again: www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Gladys Mae West obituary: mathematician who pioneered GPS technology
She made key contributions to US cold-war science despite facing huge barriers as a Black woman.
www.nature.com

hishamzerriffi.bsky.social
Hisham Zerriffi @hishamzerriffi.bsky.social · 6d
Assuming this is a serious Q, it matters because more weapons would mean:

-greater instability and potential for use
-greater risk of accidents
-greater impacts of nuclear weapons production
-greater diversion of resources that could be used elsewhere

+ current agreement has verification tools

hishamzerriffi.bsky.social
Hisham Zerriffi @hishamzerriffi.bsky.social · 6d
“For the first time in decades, the U.S. and Russia have no limits on nuclear weapons”

I spent the 90s studying (undergrad and MSc) and working on various nuclear issues as the Cold War supposedly ended.

This is fine. It’s all fine. Nothing to worry about. 🤬

www.npr.org/2026/02/04/n...
For the first time in decades, the U.S. and Russia have no limits on nuclear weapons
Experts warn that the expiration of a long-standing nuclear arms control treaty between the two superpowers could mark the start of a new nuclear rivalry.
www.npr.org

Reposted by Hisham Zerriffi

tkingfisher.com
Kingfisher & Wombat @tkingfisher.com · 6d
NEW MEXICO DID THE THING!! www.aclu-nm.org/press-releas...
Governor Signs Immigrant Safety Act into Law - ACLU of New Mexico
New Mexico Becomes National Leader in Protecting Immigrant Families
www.aclu-nm.org

Reposted by Mauro Gatti, Hisham Zerriffi

ryanabt.bsky.social
Ryan Abt (He/Him) @ryanabt.bsky.social · 6d
I’ve been thinking on this as I read more. Also how the settlers trigger response that the army uses to validate excessive force.

Also, I’ve concluded 100 Year War on Palestine. Do you have other suggestions for reading? If you don’t mind. I’d actually love a thread if you do. Not that you have to.

Reposted by Juan Cole, David R. Miller, Adrian Daub , and 3 more

jcollins.bsky.social
Jon Collins @jcollins.bsky.social · 7d
I think one thing people outside Minnesota don't understand is that after Good and Pretti were killed by feds while observing, the most normal people you could imagine have made peace with the fact that they could be next, and they are still out there because they say it's the right thing to do.
jcollins.bsky.social Jon Collins @jcollins.bsky.social · 7d
“If I am killed doing this, throw my body at the White House, martyr the shit out of me & raise hell. Do not be sad. Do not think I would do anything differently. I would do it over & over again — this is too important to sit down & shut up and not do anything.” www.mprnews.org/story/2026/0...
Pursued by federal agents, suburban ICE observers remain resolved
After a frightening pursuit by federal agents, suburban ICE observers say fear hasn’t stopped them from protecting their communities.
www.mprnews.org

Reposted by Anna O. Law, Mark Rice, Hisham Zerriffi

kevintmorris.bsky.social
Kevin Morris @kevintmorris.bsky.social · 7d
With Trump once again blaming Black cities for "voter fraud," it's worth revisiting our piece about why this is a playbook as old as the nation --- and how it makes these accusations more believable to Whites:
link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Reposted by Will Jennings, Steve Peers, David Feldman , and 6 more

samthielman.com
CHOAM Nomsky @samthielman.com · 7d
The guy who owns Amazon shutting down the books section of the Washington Post is beyond parody
leahmcelrath.bsky.social Leah McElrath @leahmcelrath.bsky.social · 7d
WaPo also closing Books section and downsizing International and Metro sections
Michael Calderone & • 26m Executive editor Matt Murray just announced a "strategic reset" and cuts in meeting with Washington Post staff going on now Michael Calderone & • 20m The Post will be closing sports "in its current form" Michael Calderone • 17m The Post is shrinking international, restructuring metro Michael Calderone @ @mlcalderone X.com The Post is eliminating Books section 7:44 AM • 2/4/26 • 461 Views

Reposted by Hisham Zerriffi

paultosto.bsky.social
Paul Tosto @paultosto.bsky.social · 8d
Lots of excellent work today by my @mprnews.org colleagues. This one from @msepic.bsky.social, though, is especially memorable.

Federal atty tells judge: “The system sucks. This job sucks. I wish you would hold me in contempt so I would have a full 24 hours sleep."

www.mprnews.org/story/2026/0...
ICE attorney to judge: ‘This job sucks’
A federal judge admonished DHS for repeatedly defying court orders to release detainees, as government lawyers described widespread noncompliance during Minnesota’s immigration crackdown.
www.mprnews.org

hishamzerriffi.bsky.social
Hisham Zerriffi @hishamzerriffi.bsky.social · 8d
Every paragraph in this article is an argument to hit Ctrl-Alt-Delete on the entire tech industry and reboot it from the last clean install circa maybe mid-80s. We can debate the last part.

arstechnica.com/ai/2026/02/t...
The rise of Moltbook suggests viral AI prompts may be the next big security threat
We don't need self-replicating AI models to have problems, just self-replicating prompts.
arstechnica.com

hishamzerriffi.bsky.social
Hisham Zerriffi @hishamzerriffi.bsky.social · 8d
Just finished a classroom observation of one of my colleague’s classes.

These Peer Review of Teaching processes are work but also fun. It’s great to see and learn more of what my colleagues teach and how they do it. I always find something that I can consider bringing back to my own teaching.

Reposted by Nicholas A. Christakis, John R. Hutchinson, John Horgan , and 2 more

drewharwell.com
Drew Harwell @drewharwell.com · 8d
A retiree wrote this email to a DHS attorney. Within five hours, DHS demanded Google turn over records for his account.

A Kafkaesque form of domestic surveillance, intimidating Americans for lawful speech.

New from us at the Post: www.washingtonpost.com/investigatio... @johnwoodrowcox.bsky.social
“Unconscionable,” Jon thought as he found an email address online for the lead prosecutor, Joseph Dernbach, who was named in the story. Peering through metal-rimmed glasses, Jon opened Gmail on his computer monitor. “Mr. Dernbach, don’t play Russian roulette with H’s life,” he wrote. “Err on the side of caution. There’s a reason the US government along with many other governments don’t recognise the Taliban. Apply principles of common sense and decency.” That was it. In five minutes, Jon said, he finished the note, signed his first and last name, pressed send and hoped his plea would make a difference. Five hours and one minute later, Jon was watching TV with his wife when an email popped up in his inbox. He noticed it on his phone. “Google,” the message read, “has received legal process from a Law Enforcement authority compelling the release of information related to your Google Account.”

hishamzerriffi.bsky.social
Hisham Zerriffi @hishamzerriffi.bsky.social · 9d
Pogroms and fear of pogroms. Basically, late 19th century and early 20th century Europe was not a great place to be a Jew.

hishamzerriffi.bsky.social
Hisham Zerriffi @hishamzerriffi.bsky.social · 9d
Bean Guy food influencer (IFYKYK) on speaking out abt MN:

“This not a left-right issue. This is an Oh Fuck issue.”

Also, rightly points out what others have said. The lying abt what everyone clearly saw makes you wonder abt what is happening in the detention centres.
I’m with you @RhettMcLaughlin
YouTube video by The Plant Slant
youtube.com

hishamzerriffi.bsky.social
Hisham Zerriffi @hishamzerriffi.bsky.social · 9d
Meanwhile in British Columbia the government just announced that data centers will have to bid in to capped amount of generating capacity from BC Hydro.

This is explicitly to avoid data centers overwhelming the system. But it does make me wonder whether gas generation will be their path forward.
mollytaft.com molly taft @mollytaft.com · 13d
i was actually shocked to see the numbers on new research from Global Energy Monitor on new gas projects in the US: nearly 100 gigawatts of power—enough to power tens of millions of homes—are currently in development explicitly to power data centers. At the end of 2023 that number was 4 gigawatts
Data Centers Are Driving a US Gas Boom
Gas projects in the US pipeline explicitly linked to data centers increased by almost 25 times over the past two years, according to new research from Global Energy Monitor.
www.wired.com

hishamzerriffi.bsky.social
Hisham Zerriffi @hishamzerriffi.bsky.social · 9d
Solar Radiation Management suffers from a Governance Paradox:

"Paradoxically, the same governance failures that make SRM politically attractive undermine the very conditions needed for its safe operation."

Very interesting new paper on termination shock risk of SRM.

hishamzerriffi.bsky.social
Hisham Zerriffi @hishamzerriffi.bsky.social · 9d
Not trying to excuse or glorify violence against any “protected group.” In other words generalized violence against anyone helping immigrants by law enforcement is ok. 🤬
kevinmkruse.bsky.social Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 9d
Take a look at this insane image the Illinois College Republicans posted and then read their statement about how they're not trying to excuse or glorify violence.

Reposted by David Rothschild, David R. Miller, Hisham Zerriffi , and 1 more

kevinmkruse.bsky.social
Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 9d
Take a look at this insane image the Illinois College Republicans posted and then read their statement about how they're not trying to excuse or glorify violence.
ONLY TRAITORS HELP INVADERS Image of a masked federal agent with a gun at the back of a kneeling defenseless man who looks like Alex Pretti In regard to a question about whether the stylized graphic of an officer holding a gun to someone’s head glorifies or valorizes the killings, the RSO wrote that “the image is, in fact, not intended to target nor incentivize violence against a particular party.” They added that “There is no labeling in the graphic, and there are no identifying features. In short, people are going to take away whatever they want, but reasonably this graphic does not glorify nor valorize any incident because it lacks any reasonable connection.” The group stated it does not “endorse violence nor discrimination towards anyone based on their identification with a specific protected group,” and that the groups message is that it supports “the enforcement of the law and those who enforce it.”