Richard Chirgwin
@rchirgwin.bsky.social
Former tech writer specialising in telecoms and infosec. Still an aspiring guitarist at over 60.
Nothing I do or say is licenced to anyone scraping social media accounts to train AI.
Nothing I do or say is licenced to anyone scraping social media accounts to train AI.
Reposted by Richard Chirgwin
Be very afraid New Zealand. Google Robodebt in Australia. People died form shit like this #nzpol www.stuff.co.nz/politics/360...
The Government says it’ll stop double dipping. This retrospective law change also means beneficiaries lose out on $63m
Last October, the High Court ruled that MSD was not allowed to claw back supplementary benefits from recipients of ACC back payments. The Government is overriding it.
www.stuff.co.nz
February 19, 2026 at 7:59 AM
Be very afraid New Zealand. Google Robodebt in Australia. People died form shit like this #nzpol www.stuff.co.nz/politics/360...
Reposted by Richard Chirgwin
Lol. He lasted two days before his mouth got ahead of him.
February 19, 2026 at 6:40 AM
Lol. He lasted two days before his mouth got ahead of him.
Why do I want images of Americans stuffing their faces with baked beans?
February 19, 2026 at 6:57 AM
Why do I want images of Americans stuffing their faces with baked beans?
Reposted by Richard Chirgwin
Substack, as expected, escalates toward hyper-disinfo.
Remember, folks: The tech bros tearing down our country are the major forces behind this monstrosity.
Choose your future wisely.
Remember, folks: The tech bros tearing down our country are the major forces behind this monstrosity.
Choose your future wisely.
February 19, 2026 at 4:46 AM
Substack, as expected, escalates toward hyper-disinfo.
Remember, folks: The tech bros tearing down our country are the major forces behind this monstrosity.
Choose your future wisely.
Remember, folks: The tech bros tearing down our country are the major forces behind this monstrosity.
Choose your future wisely.
Reposted by Richard Chirgwin
So disgusting how Dr Abdel Fattah has become the focus of ignorant performative cancel culture
KPMG asks Sydney writers’ festival to delete its name from website after Randa Abdel-Fattah confirmed as speaker
KPMG asks Sydney writers’ festival to delete its name from website after Randa Abdel-Fattah confirmed as speaker
Festival confirmed writer and academic would appear in two sessions in 2026 following disinvitation from Adelaide event
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Global accounting giant KPMG has distanced itself from the Sydney writers’ festival, requesting its name be removed from the event’s website where it was listed as a corporate partner.
The move follows the festival scheduling Palestinian Australian academic Randa Abdel-Fattah to speak at two sessions in this year’s event. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
February 19, 2026 at 5:14 AM
So disgusting how Dr Abdel Fattah has become the focus of ignorant performative cancel culture
Reposted by Richard Chirgwin
oh no, audiences will be devastated.
they love KPMG's logo
they love KPMG's logo
KPMG asks Sydney writers’ festival to delete its name from website after Randa Abdel-Fattah confirmed as speaker
KPMG asks Sydney writers’ festival to delete its name from website after Randa Abdel-Fattah confirmed as speaker
Festival confirmed writer and academic would appear in two sessions in 2026 following disinvitation from Adelaide event
*
Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates
*
Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast
Global accounting giant KPMG has distanced itself from the Sydney writers’ festival, requesting its name be removed from the event’s website where it was listed as a corporate partner.
The move follows the festival scheduling Palestinian Australian academic Randa Abdel-Fattah to speak at two sessions in this year’s event. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
February 19, 2026 at 4:43 AM
oh no, audiences will be devastated.
they love KPMG's logo
they love KPMG's logo
Reposted by Richard Chirgwin
Even when journalists reference Hanson’s past comments on Muslims, they reach back to 2016. Why not just mention the case from 2025, that is currently in front of the High Court?
Surely the entire media industry isn’t unaware of the case? So what’s the reason?
Surely the entire media industry isn’t unaware of the case? So what’s the reason?
February 19, 2026 at 3:57 AM
Even when journalists reference Hanson’s past comments on Muslims, they reach back to 2016. Why not just mention the case from 2025, that is currently in front of the High Court?
Surely the entire media industry isn’t unaware of the case? So what’s the reason?
Surely the entire media industry isn’t unaware of the case? So what’s the reason?
Reposted by Richard Chirgwin
Incredible how much the media has spent talking about hate speech laws and yet none of the thousands of articles on Hanson mention she recently was found by a federal court of breaching hate speech laws.
February 19, 2026 at 3:41 AM
Incredible how much the media has spent talking about hate speech laws and yet none of the thousands of articles on Hanson mention she recently was found by a federal court of breaching hate speech laws.
Reposted by Richard Chirgwin
And after all that, the Pitt/Cruise AI fight scene appears to have been just digital BG and face replacement on multi-angle green screen reference videos of two real live human stuntees fighting.
In other words, like most AI hype — it was a con. www.shokunin.studio/blog/2026/2/...
In other words, like most AI hype — it was a con. www.shokunin.studio/blog/2026/2/...
February 19, 2026 at 1:18 AM
And after all that, the Pitt/Cruise AI fight scene appears to have been just digital BG and face replacement on multi-angle green screen reference videos of two real live human stuntees fighting.
In other words, like most AI hype — it was a con. www.shokunin.studio/blog/2026/2/...
In other words, like most AI hype — it was a con. www.shokunin.studio/blog/2026/2/...
Reposted by Richard Chirgwin
ICYMI: AI bit barns grow climate emergency by turning up the gas
AI bit barns grow climate emergency by turning up the gas
Companies talk renewables while firing up gas turbines as fast as they can
Bit barns need a lot of power to operate and, as hyperscalers look for ways to generate it, they are adding more dirty energy in the form of new gas turbines. One estimate says that these new power sources could add another 44 million tons of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere by 2030, equivalent to the annual emissions of 10 million private cars.…
dlvr.it
February 19, 2026 at 12:59 AM
ICYMI: AI bit barns grow climate emergency by turning up the gas
Reposted by Richard Chirgwin
WHY IS YOUR TOILET CONNECTED TO ANYTHING EXCEPT THE SEWER I SWEAR TO GOD
February 19, 2026 at 12:56 AM
WHY IS YOUR TOILET CONNECTED TO ANYTHING EXCEPT THE SEWER I SWEAR TO GOD
Reposted by Richard Chirgwin
My column on the latest wage growth figures and workers always being blamed for inflation
www.theguardian.com/business/gro...
www.theguardian.com/business/gro...
As real wage growth falls again, Australian workers must feel the economy is rigged against them | Greg Jericho
The RBA never misses a chance to blame wages for rising prices but data shows profit-driven inflation is back
www.theguardian.com
February 18, 2026 at 8:32 PM
My column on the latest wage growth figures and workers always being blamed for inflation
www.theguardian.com/business/gro...
www.theguardian.com/business/gro...
Reposted by Richard Chirgwin
These Qld residents don’t have safe drinking water. Absolute disgrace. Step up, Qld government.
www.abc.net.au/news/2026-02...
www.abc.net.au/news/2026-02...
Residents creating water out of thin air as they wait for 'basic right'
Just three hours from Brisbane, the residents of Cherbourg need to boil the town water to make it safe to drink. Delays to a new water treatment plant have driven them to use emerging technology that ...
www.abc.net.au
February 18, 2026 at 8:35 PM
These Qld residents don’t have safe drinking water. Absolute disgrace. Step up, Qld government.
www.abc.net.au/news/2026-02...
www.abc.net.au/news/2026-02...
Reposted by Richard Chirgwin
Vale Jesse Jackson.
My @smh @theage cartoon.
My @smh @theage cartoon.
February 18, 2026 at 9:09 PM
Vale Jesse Jackson.
My @smh @theage cartoon.
My @smh @theage cartoon.
Reposted by Richard Chirgwin
Reposted by Richard Chirgwin
Despite Alcoa's appalling breach of law, Environment Minister Watt has "granted Alcoa a national‑interest exemption to allow the company to continue land clearing for its mining operations for 18 months", while a strategic assessment mining at its Huntly & Willowdale mining operations is completed🤯
OMFG Alcoa will pay $55 million through enforceable undertakings cos for 6 YEARS between 2019-2025 they ILLEGALLY CLEARED jarrah forest, including habitat for endangered black cockatoos, for bauxite mining without approvals
Alcoa slugged $55m over illegal jarrah forest clearing
The US miner illegally destroyed the habitat of endangered black cockatoos for six years.
www.boilingcold.com.au
February 18, 2026 at 6:11 AM
Despite Alcoa's appalling breach of law, Environment Minister Watt has "granted Alcoa a national‑interest exemption to allow the company to continue land clearing for its mining operations for 18 months", while a strategic assessment mining at its Huntly & Willowdale mining operations is completed🤯
America, you just had to find a new way to do hyper-inflation didn't you?
AI is revolutionizing the world! A Playstation now costs $5,000 and this is the last phone you will ever own.
“.. ‘many system vendors will go bankrupt or exit product lines due to a lack of memory. Mobile phone production will be reduced by 200-250 million units, and PC and TV production will be significantly reduced.’ Yikes.”
@pcgamer.com #DRAM
www.pcgamer.com/hardware/mem...
@pcgamer.com #DRAM
www.pcgamer.com/hardware/mem...
February 18, 2026 at 6:01 AM
America, you just had to find a new way to do hyper-inflation didn't you?
Reposted by Richard Chirgwin
It's not just stupid, could possibly be the fastest way to get back to the Stone Age.
February 18, 2026 at 5:57 AM
It's not just stupid, could possibly be the fastest way to get back to the Stone Age.
Reposted by Richard Chirgwin
AI is revolutionizing the world! A Playstation now costs $5,000 and this is the last phone you will ever own.
“.. ‘many system vendors will go bankrupt or exit product lines due to a lack of memory. Mobile phone production will be reduced by 200-250 million units, and PC and TV production will be significantly reduced.’ Yikes.”
@pcgamer.com #DRAM
www.pcgamer.com/hardware/mem...
@pcgamer.com #DRAM
www.pcgamer.com/hardware/mem...
February 17, 2026 at 10:02 PM
AI is revolutionizing the world! A Playstation now costs $5,000 and this is the last phone you will ever own.
It shits me to tears that smart people have to spend time and effort opposing Musk's stupidest ideas.
Too many satellites? Earth’s orbit is on track for a catastrophe – but we can stop it
On Jan 30 2026, SpaceX filed an application with the US Federal Communications Commission for a megaconstellation of up to one million satellites to power data centres in space.
theconversation.com/too-many-sat...
On Jan 30 2026, SpaceX filed an application with the US Federal Communications Commission for a megaconstellation of up to one million satellites to power data centres in space.
theconversation.com/too-many-sat...
Too many satellites? Earth’s orbit is on track for a catastrophe – but we can stop it
Cultural, spiritual, and most environmental impacts aren’t taken into account when launching thousands of satellites.
theconversation.com
February 18, 2026 at 5:44 AM
It shits me to tears that smart people have to spend time and effort opposing Musk's stupidest ideas.
Reposted by Richard Chirgwin
Imagine thinking it's a good time to shit on Lakemba while all of Sydney plans to hit up the amazing food and atmosphere at Ramadan Nights
It's wild to me the media keeps printing articles about how Hanson has her finger on the pulse
It's wild to me the media keeps printing articles about how Hanson has her finger on the pulse
February 18, 2026 at 5:33 AM
Imagine thinking it's a good time to shit on Lakemba while all of Sydney plans to hit up the amazing food and atmosphere at Ramadan Nights
It's wild to me the media keeps printing articles about how Hanson has her finger on the pulse
It's wild to me the media keeps printing articles about how Hanson has her finger on the pulse
Reposted by Richard Chirgwin
You might think an essay about ferries is dull material, but I GUARANTEE you: this is the tale that keeps giving.
How the Spirit of Tasmania became the greatest infrastructure disaster in the state’s history. A tragicomedy:
Ship of Fools
How the Spirit of Tasmania became the greatest infrastructure disaster in the state’s history
open.substack.com
February 18, 2026 at 4:41 AM
You might think an essay about ferries is dull material, but I GUARANTEE you: this is the tale that keeps giving.
Reposted by Richard Chirgwin
Counterpoint:
Don’t upload your medical records to any LLM.
That’s fucking insane.
Don’t upload your medical records to any LLM.
That’s fucking insane.
February 18, 2026 at 2:07 AM
Counterpoint:
Don’t upload your medical records to any LLM.
That’s fucking insane.
Don’t upload your medical records to any LLM.
That’s fucking insane.
Reposted by Richard Chirgwin
Great bunch of news stories this morning, telling us the system is working as designed.
1. Aged care system declines/delays assessments and provision of assistance sometimes long enough that people die waiting. 2. Pet insurance isn’t worth the cost in premiums. 3. AI steals your voice then your job.
1. Aged care system declines/delays assessments and provision of assistance sometimes long enough that people die waiting. 2. Pet insurance isn’t worth the cost in premiums. 3. AI steals your voice then your job.
February 17, 2026 at 11:26 PM
Great bunch of news stories this morning, telling us the system is working as designed.
1. Aged care system declines/delays assessments and provision of assistance sometimes long enough that people die waiting. 2. Pet insurance isn’t worth the cost in premiums. 3. AI steals your voice then your job.
1. Aged care system declines/delays assessments and provision of assistance sometimes long enough that people die waiting. 2. Pet insurance isn’t worth the cost in premiums. 3. AI steals your voice then your job.