Ian Ramjohn
@iramjohn.bsky.social
Wikipedia expert at @wikieducation.bsky.social.
Plant ecology Ph.D. 🇹🇹Trinbagonian in exile
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2910-0526 (if you want to verify my account's authenticity)
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2910-0526 (if you want to verify my account's authenticity)
Pinned
Ian Ramjohn
@iramjohn.bsky.social
· Feb 19
Eulogy for my father, Ian Ramjohn (1931–2025)
YouTube video by Ian Ramjohn
youtu.be
I recorded this for my father's funeral today.
youtu.be/c6WWROsaCwY
youtu.be/c6WWROsaCwY
Reposted by Ian Ramjohn
The casualties already coming in. Grandmothers in their apartments….
January 3, 2026 at 7:21 PM
The casualties already coming in. Grandmothers in their apartments….
Reposted by Ian Ramjohn
Please consider donating to support a student like that in war. $5000 a year pays for tuition and living.
Thank you for being human. Thank you for helping us get through this war.
foundation.kse.ua/en/donate-to...
Thank you for being human. Thank you for helping us get through this war.
foundation.kse.ua/en/donate-to...
January 3, 2026 at 10:13 PM
Please consider donating to support a student like that in war. $5000 a year pays for tuition and living.
Thank you for being human. Thank you for helping us get through this war.
foundation.kse.ua/en/donate-to...
Thank you for being human. Thank you for helping us get through this war.
foundation.kse.ua/en/donate-to...
Reposted by Ian Ramjohn
A very important and all too timely point.
January 3, 2026 at 8:59 PM
A very important and all too timely point.
Reposted by Ian Ramjohn
I’ve been working full time to stop this war since last summer and the one scenario I feared the most is materializing — Trump is making a play for Venezuela’s oil. I’m not saying an insurgency will definitely form, but Trump’s ploy creates the perfect storm for an absolutely disastrous occupation.🧵
Trump: "We're going to have our very large United States oil companies go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure and start making money for the country. And we are ready to stage a second and much larger attack if we need to do so."
January 3, 2026 at 7:25 PM
I’ve been working full time to stop this war since last summer and the one scenario I feared the most is materializing — Trump is making a play for Venezuela’s oil. I’m not saying an insurgency will definitely form, but Trump’s ploy creates the perfect storm for an absolutely disastrous occupation.🧵
The US system was state of the art for the 18th century. For it to last 250 years, held together with spit and baling wire is quite an achievement.
But at some point you probably need a new constitution, a new system. Where you’re not trying to read the intent of people dead for 200 years.
But at some point you probably need a new constitution, a new system. Where you’re not trying to read the intent of people dead for 200 years.
I know this gives folks big feelings & I want to make space for that, but we’re in “pessimism of the intellect, optimism of the will” territory here. What we are experiencing now are the inevitable & historical consequences of the system we have. A new one is simply what is required.
January 3, 2026 at 8:19 PM
The US system was state of the art for the 18th century. For it to last 250 years, held together with spit and baling wire is quite an achievement.
But at some point you probably need a new constitution, a new system. Where you’re not trying to read the intent of people dead for 200 years.
But at some point you probably need a new constitution, a new system. Where you’re not trying to read the intent of people dead for 200 years.
Reposted by Ian Ramjohn
Two books on Venzuelan civil-military relations I urge journalists to read. John Polga-hecimovich's chapter in the edited volume is an excellent summary of the Chavista era. Trinkunas' book is authoritative on the pre-Chavez era. I also urge folks to read articles on the topic by Deborah Norden.
January 3, 2026 at 2:05 PM
Two books on Venzuelan civil-military relations I urge journalists to read. John Polga-hecimovich's chapter in the edited volume is an excellent summary of the Chavista era. Trinkunas' book is authoritative on the pre-Chavez era. I also urge folks to read articles on the topic by Deborah Norden.
Reposted by Ian Ramjohn
Reposted by Ian Ramjohn
The nobel peace prize committee has to wear this
At 7:10 or so the winner of the 2025 Nobel peace prize praises Tr*mp & condones extralegal killings in service of regime change. At 14:15 she tells Biz Forum that Venezuela will be the “energy hub of the Americas,” & the “new global frontier of innovation and wealth creation.”
If you want to know what the plan is, traitorous stooge Machado told the America Business Forum back in November: privatizing oil to the tune of $1.7 trillion. She said the same thing at a Saudi forum. It’s remarkable how little pretense there is. youtu.be/l2J2JtO8R9Q?...
January 3, 2026 at 5:00 PM
The nobel peace prize committee has to wear this
While the relative sizes of the countries are worth considering, terrain matters too. Most of Venezuela isn’t just roadless, it’s also heavily forested and large parts are swampy or mountainous.
And the population is comparable to Iraq’s or Afghanistan’s in 2002-2003.
And the population is comparable to Iraq’s or Afghanistan’s in 2002-2003.
CNN just pointed it out, but since no one has posted it yet, I'll be that guy. Here's today's round of Kill Your Inner Mercator: Iraq, Afghanistan, and Venezuela in a way your brain can handle
January 3, 2026 at 7:07 PM
While the relative sizes of the countries are worth considering, terrain matters too. Most of Venezuela isn’t just roadless, it’s also heavily forested and large parts are swampy or mountainous.
And the population is comparable to Iraq’s or Afghanistan’s in 2002-2003.
And the population is comparable to Iraq’s or Afghanistan’s in 2002-2003.
Reposted by Ian Ramjohn
Saving this screenshot from Threads as a new reaction image
January 3, 2026 at 4:41 PM
Saving this screenshot from Threads as a new reaction image
Reposted by Ian Ramjohn
Never let blatant fascism distract you from the real enemy: People who are against fascism.
www.theatlantic.com/internationa...
www.theatlantic.com/internationa...
January 3, 2026 at 4:43 PM
Never let blatant fascism distract you from the real enemy: People who are against fascism.
www.theatlantic.com/internationa...
www.theatlantic.com/internationa...
Reposted by Ian Ramjohn
Marco Rubio is reportedly saying Maduro will stand trial in US courts.
Which means it’s now the US administration’s position that US courts can hold foreign presidents, but not the US president, accountable for crimes.
Which means it’s now the US administration’s position that US courts can hold foreign presidents, but not the US president, accountable for crimes.
January 3, 2026 at 10:52 AM
Marco Rubio is reportedly saying Maduro will stand trial in US courts.
Which means it’s now the US administration’s position that US courts can hold foreign presidents, but not the US president, accountable for crimes.
Which means it’s now the US administration’s position that US courts can hold foreign presidents, but not the US president, accountable for crimes.
Reposted by Ian Ramjohn
A foreign president can be held liable under US law, but an American president cannot. Weird.
January 3, 2026 at 3:56 PM
A foreign president can be held liable under US law, but an American president cannot. Weird.
The third panel:
"Maduro isn't the problem: he's the face of the problem. Removing him from power would be merely opening the door. Behind him is the machine...If you only change the person at the top and leave the system intact, what follows isn't democracy: it's a reshuffling."
"Maduro isn't the problem: he's the face of the problem. Removing him from power would be merely opening the door. Behind him is the machine...If you only change the person at the top and leave the system intact, what follows isn't democracy: it's a reshuffling."
Best thing I’ve read this morning, from a human rights lawyer in Mexico. Translation is in the ALT-text.
January 3, 2026 at 4:19 PM
The third panel:
"Maduro isn't the problem: he's the face of the problem. Removing him from power would be merely opening the door. Behind him is the machine...If you only change the person at the top and leave the system intact, what follows isn't democracy: it's a reshuffling."
"Maduro isn't the problem: he's the face of the problem. Removing him from power would be merely opening the door. Behind him is the machine...If you only change the person at the top and leave the system intact, what follows isn't democracy: it's a reshuffling."
Reposted by Ian Ramjohn
“Building on an anti-spam cybersecurity tactic known as tarpitting, he created Nepenthes, malicious software named after a carnivorous plant that will ‘eat just about anything that finds its way inside.’”
One of my favorite stories of 2025 came after seeing a debate on Hacker News questioning if so-called "AI tarpits" were effective. I wanted to know 1) if they actually were disrupting AI crawlers (they were) and 2) how quickly new traps could be built (within days) arstechnica.com/tech-policy/...
AI haters build tarpits to trap and trick AI scrapers that ignore robots.txt
Attackers explain how an anti-spam defense became an AI weapon.
arstechnica.com
January 3, 2026 at 4:32 AM
“Building on an anti-spam cybersecurity tactic known as tarpitting, he created Nepenthes, malicious software named after a carnivorous plant that will ‘eat just about anything that finds its way inside.’”
Reposted by Ian Ramjohn
If you or someone you know have been a victim of the sexualized deepfakes created by Grok and would like to discuss your civil legal options, DM me or reach out on Signal at riot.95. I can connect you with excellent free legal counsel.
Unless I'm missing something, and I'm pretty sure I'm not, Twitter's AI is cranking out CSAM deepfakes, Elon Musk is making jokes about it, and nobody is doing anything to stop it or hold anyone at Twitter accountable for its creation and distribution.
Is that right?
Is that right?
January 3, 2026 at 4:00 AM
If you or someone you know have been a victim of the sexualized deepfakes created by Grok and would like to discuss your civil legal options, DM me or reach out on Signal at riot.95. I can connect you with excellent free legal counsel.
Reposted by Ian Ramjohn
If you don't know what problem I'm talking about, here you go
How to Escape Your Car If the Electronic Door Handle Fails - Consumer Reports
From Tesla to Lexus, more and more vehicles have doors with an electronic button instead of a manual latch. CR lets you know how to open them in an emergency.
www.consumerreports.org
January 2, 2026 at 6:30 PM
If you don't know what problem I'm talking about, here you go
Reposted by Ian Ramjohn
Meta thinks its camera glasses, which are often used for harassment, are no different than any other camera.
Here's 404 Media's guide to the PR team at Meta:
www.404media.co/whats-the-di...
Here's 404 Media's guide to the PR team at Meta:
www.404media.co/whats-the-di...
What’s the Difference Between AI Glasses and an iPhone? A Helpful Guide for Meta PR
Meta thinks its camera glasses, which are often used for harassment, are no different than any other camera.
www.404media.co
January 2, 2026 at 4:30 PM
Meta thinks its camera glasses, which are often used for harassment, are no different than any other camera.
Here's 404 Media's guide to the PR team at Meta:
www.404media.co/whats-the-di...
Here's 404 Media's guide to the PR team at Meta:
www.404media.co/whats-the-di...
Again, I have to wonder what sort of product liability risks Google faces here.
January 2, 2026 at 7:43 PM
Again, I have to wonder what sort of product liability risks Google faces here.
No idea where this is from (and I'm not going to figure it out to give them the clicks) but the idea of using SAT scores in hiring is wild.
Judging from the GRE (which I think is pretty similar) I think I'd have done extremely well on the SATs. I'd certainly look better than on traditional measures
Judging from the GRE (which I think is pretty similar) I think I'd have done extremely well on the SATs. I'd certainly look better than on traditional measures
This article advocates for the “Faculty Merit Act” that would — get this — require all faculty applicants to submit their *SAT* scores. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Holy shirts that’s hilarious.
January 2, 2026 at 6:21 PM
No idea where this is from (and I'm not going to figure it out to give them the clicks) but the idea of using SAT scores in hiring is wild.
Judging from the GRE (which I think is pretty similar) I think I'd have done extremely well on the SATs. I'd certainly look better than on traditional measures
Judging from the GRE (which I think is pretty similar) I think I'd have done extremely well on the SATs. I'd certainly look better than on traditional measures
Our buses don't run often enough and are still too inconvenient to pay for, but I think real time trackers are even more valuable in smaller, less well served communities.
One thing I wrote about here is how technology has made buses *way* more convenient while techno-futurists were obsessed with flying taxis and self-driving cars.
January 2, 2026 at 6:05 PM
Our buses don't run often enough and are still too inconvenient to pay for, but I think real time trackers are even more valuable in smaller, less well served communities.
Ferries are likely a good test case for this. The extra weight of the batteries probably doesn't make a huge difference, and problems won't leave you stranded in the middle of the ocean.
But what about container ships covered with solar panels? Once they're underway, they don't use that much power.
But what about container ships covered with solar panels? Once they're underway, they don't use that much power.
January 2, 2026 at 5:57 PM
Ferries are likely a good test case for this. The extra weight of the batteries probably doesn't make a huge difference, and problems won't leave you stranded in the middle of the ocean.
But what about container ships covered with solar panels? Once they're underway, they don't use that much power.
But what about container ships covered with solar panels? Once they're underway, they don't use that much power.
Josh has been my trusted source of information for over 20 years. Obviously this must be true.
Trump's hand is fake. His real hand was removed. The insiders all know it. Signatures with a fake hand aren't constitutional.
I am determined as God is my witness to start the Trump fake hand conspiracy theory. His hand isn't showing signs of an undisclosed illness. It's a fake painted Halloween costume hand because his hand was already removed. It's time.
January 2, 2026 at 5:48 PM
Josh has been my trusted source of information for over 20 years. Obviously this must be true.
Reposted by Ian Ramjohn
I am determined as God is my witness to start the Trump fake hand conspiracy theory. His hand isn't showing signs of an undisclosed illness. It's a fake painted Halloween costume hand because his hand was already removed. It's time.
December 31, 2025 at 1:31 AM
I am determined as God is my witness to start the Trump fake hand conspiracy theory. His hand isn't showing signs of an undisclosed illness. It's a fake painted Halloween costume hand because his hand was already removed. It's time.
Reposted by Ian Ramjohn
While complaining that America is "besieged" by foreigners, DHS used an image by Japanese artist Hiroshi Nagai
January 2, 2026 at 3:20 PM
While complaining that America is "besieged" by foreigners, DHS used an image by Japanese artist Hiroshi Nagai