Peri Pakroo
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peripak.bsky.social
Peri Pakroo
@peripak.bsky.social
Business author & consultant, specializing in human-centered entrepreneurship, digital strategy & sustainable economic development. Strategic consulting via P-Brain Media. Musician, mom, meatloaf sushi inventor. She/her.
Hot damn, this sounds pretty amazing: innovative, affordable, accessible adaptation of seismology technology to understand soils, potentially transforming agriculture. Happy World Soil Day! :D #soilsmology
1. Some good news at last. This week’s column is about the amazing thing a couple of us stumbled into three years ago, which we’ve now developed into a global research programme. It doesn’t change everything, of course, but it could help change quite a lot. + 🧵 www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Over a pint in Oxford, we may have stumbled upon the holy grail of agriculture | George Monbiot
I knew that a revolution in our understanding of soil could change the world. Then came a eureka moment – and the birth of the Earth Rover Program, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot
www.theguardian.com
December 5, 2025 at 10:58 AM
Reposted by Peri Pakroo
They're not even trying to appear nonpartisan anymore.
#BREAKING: Over dissents from the three democratic appointees, #SCOTUS puts Texas's new House maps back into effect for (and, presumably, through) the 2026 midterms.

The three Democratic appointees, in an opinion by Justice Kagan, dissent.

I'll post the ruling shortly.
December 4, 2025 at 11:05 PM
"As Mr. Trump considers further moves against Mr. Maduro, some longtime experts on Latin America have expressed skepticism over the reasoning for a potential mission aimed at regime change, saying they echo missteps in Iraq that produced years of protracted war." Will we ever learn?
Venezuela’s Nobel Winner Pushes False Claims About Maduro, Critics Say
www.nytimes.com
December 1, 2025 at 2:35 PM
Heartened somewhat to hear both House and Senate GOP-led committees are investigating; plus a "Former JAGs Working Group" has issued a statement that these actions appear to be "war crimes, murder, or both." Still, it seems too optimistic to expect accountability for anyone in this criminal admin.
Textbook war crime/extrajudicial killing

"Two survivors were clinging to the smoldering wreck. The Special Operations commander overseeing the Sept. 2 attack ... ordered a second strike to comply with Hegseth’s instructions."

Report by @alexhorton.bsky.social @ellenwapo.bsky.social o.bsky.social
Hegseth order on first Caribbean boat strike, officials say: Kill them all
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a verbal order to kill all crew members in the Sept. 2 strike on a suspected drug boat. Navy SEALs fired a second missile.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 30, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Reposted by Peri Pakroo
Ahead of launching a war on Venezuela, the US would like to announce that no one in Venezuela should help US forces, it'd be stupid to do so, the US will denigrate you and screw you over no matter how much you help, and blame you if even one Venezuelan who also helped the US ever does something bad.
CIA statement about the Afghan man identified as the gunman who shot two National Guardsmen in Washington
November 27, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Reposted by Peri Pakroo
I once asked a bookseller at a large indie store how many people would have to buy a book for it to get the attention of the store buyer and cause an additional order and they said: Three.
I see some book piracy discourse, and, to make a positive argument in favor of buying books, your marginal ability to influence what books get published and support the careers of writers you like is massive compared to most other forms of media.
November 25, 2025 at 11:07 PM
Reposted by Peri Pakroo
Three things about the Witkoff tapes:

1) It appears Western intelligence services have decided to let Witkoff (and Trump) know they have recordings of their traitorous conversations w/Russia.

2) This Ukraine "deal" was all Witkoff's idea.

3) Congressional leaders should demand he be fired.
November 25, 2025 at 8:40 PM
Reposted by Peri Pakroo
Unprecedented presidency-ending scandals & crimes now happening twice a day
November 25, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Reposted by Peri Pakroo
Pretty remarkable that Trump has installed someone on the Saudi dole — Jared Kushner collects millions in fees from the Saudis every year — in a key role for America's most sensitive and consequential foreign policy negotiations (Gaza, Ukraine), and it is largely TREATED AS A NON-STORY
November 23, 2025 at 11:33 PM
Reposted by Peri Pakroo
1) Start the worst European war since 1945 and commit every imaginable war crime
2) Decide how you want to be rewarded for your aggression
3) Leak the list of your desiderata to the US press
4) Wait for the US president to enforce your wish list on your victim.
Russian policy 2025
November 23, 2025 at 3:30 PM
Reposted by Peri Pakroo
Elon Musk donated $277 million to Trump so he could steal the federal government’s data, dismantle the nation’s infrastructure, and stop foreign aid from going to nonwhite people. It’s a quid pro quo breathtaking in scope, corruption, and damage, & completely unprecedented in American history.
Bye bye, “DOGE”.

It no longer exists as a “centralized entity”, according to the Office of Personnel Management.

@reuters.com
www.reuters.com/world/us/dog...
November 23, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Reposted by Peri Pakroo
Blessed are the peacemakers
November 23, 2025 at 12:36 PM
Reposted by Peri Pakroo
The Real Reason Trump Is Fawning Over Saudi Arabia’s Ruler www.nytimes.com/2025/11/22/o...

I’ve gifted this because it’s an important piece and well worth reading
Opinion | The Real Reason Trump Is Fawning Over Saudi Arabia’s Ruler
www.nytimes.com
November 22, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Reposted by Peri Pakroo
On the patently unlawful boat strikes

It's hard for USGs to claim ‘mistake of law’ or ‘advice of counsel’ – when they’re firing lawyers who wouldn't sign off on the strikes.

WaPo's new revelations on firings or removals:

1) CIA General Counsel
2) NSC Legal Adviser
3) CIA Mission Center’s lawyer
🧵
White House blew past legal concerns in deadly strikes on drug boats
The Trump administration sidestepped skeptical lawyers across national security agencies as it pursued a military campaign against alleged narcotraffickers, officials say.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 22, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Reposted by Peri Pakroo
#Cop30: dozens of countries threaten to block deal unless it contains roadmap to fossil fuel phase-out

- Brazil had been planning to drop the roadmap amid opposition from petro states

Scoop by Fiona Harvey

www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Cop30: dozens of countries threaten to block resolution unless it contains roadmap to fossil fuel phase-out
Exclusive: The Guardian understands Brazil had been planning to drop a roadmap to a transition away from fossil fuels amid opposition from petro states
www.theguardian.com
November 21, 2025 at 1:56 AM
Wtaf
Exclusive: The U.S. Coast Guard will no longer classify the swastika, nooses and the Confederate flag as hate symbols.

The military service drafted a new policy that classifies them as “potentially divisive.”
U.S. Coast Guard will no longer classify swastikas, nooses as hate symbols
The military service, which falls under the Department of Homeland Security, has drafted a new policy that classifies such items “potentially divisive.”
www.washingtonpost.com
November 20, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Reposted by Peri Pakroo
NEW: As Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick drives billions of dollars in foreign payments to help build AI data centers in the US, his sons help run a company earning tens of millions in fees helping finance AI data centers. A NYT investigation. (Free link)

www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/u...
Family Affair: Commerce Secretary’s Sons Cash In on A.I. Frenzy
www.nytimes.com
November 20, 2025 at 12:02 PM
Reposted by Peri Pakroo
My first piece for @theguardian.com on MBS’s visit to the U.S., seven years after Jamal Khashoggi’s murder.

Trump’s America is beginning to look like MBS’s Saudi Arabia— which Jamal warned me about.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
The Saudification of America is under way | Karen Attiah
Jamal Khashoggi’s plight and murder was a warning sign for the US, of the impending loss of freedom and censorship that would sweep the country
www.theguardian.com
November 18, 2025 at 9:58 PM
no words
Trump not only dismissed MBS’ culpability in Khashoggi's brutal murder & blamed the victim for not being more likable. He also rebranded bin Salman, not long ago condemned in civilized countries as a pariah, as “one of the most respected people in the world.”
www.americaamerica.news/p/snapshot-t...
Snapshot: Trump Excuses Murder and Blames the Victim
Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman, culpable for the brutal killing of Jamal Khashoggi, enjoyed a warm welcome to Trump's White House
www.americaamerica.news
November 19, 2025 at 6:24 PM
Reposted by Peri Pakroo
Open AI loses copyright case in Germany.

Judge Elke Schwager summarized the case saying that if you want to build something and need components, "then you purchase them and do not use the property of others."
Blow for OpenAI in Germany as court rules song lyrics used illegally
A German court ruled on Tuesday that OpenAI violated copyright on nine popular songs in a lawsuit that marked another attempt to prevent the free use of artists' content online. The Munich Regional Co...
www.yahoo.com
November 14, 2025 at 2:49 PM
Reposted by Peri Pakroo
Every month for the last 77 years, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has estimated Americans' unemployment rate

This streak dies tomorrow

Govt staff could not survey Americans about whether they're working or looking for work in Oct, the 1st time in 934 months

This blind spot will remain forever
Here's the planned BLS data release schedule for Nov 2025.

On Tues, it couldn't release Sept job openings, hires, layoffs and firings data.

This morning, it couldn't release 2025Q3 business Productivity and Costs data.

Tomorrow, it can't release Oct 2025 #JobsReport
www.bls.gov/schedule/202...
November 6, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Reposted by Peri Pakroo
The very online administration heard the very online DoorDash inflation complaints, and is addressing them online.

Also, they’re citing DoorDash on wages—do they really track that data?—rather than the Bureau of Labor Statistics, because they canceled those reports for accurately measuring things.
Trump admin Press Secretary citing DoorDash on local commerce price levels.

Quite possibly the most cursed ‘economic indicator’ I have ever seen.
November 12, 2025 at 1:49 AM
Reposted by Peri Pakroo
McGovern: He would rather appeal to the highest court in the land to starve people than simply provide them with the food assistance that he is legally obligated to do. That is the Republican policy position. We will give you your food if you let us take away your health care.
November 12, 2025 at 12:08 AM