Simon Johnson🇺🇦
@simonrjohnson.bsky.social
Risk manager, quant, physicist, Bayesian. I must study politics and war, that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy.
Reposted by Simon Johnson🇺🇦
this is a level of complicity that had not occurred to me
Gallup will no longer measure presidential approval after 88 years thehill.com/homenews/med...
February 11, 2026 at 7:28 PM
this is a level of complicity that had not occurred to me
Reposted by Simon Johnson🇺🇦
THE OLYMPICS OF BIATHLON MESS CONTINUES
GOLD MEDAL FOR THE WOMAN WHO STOLE HER TEAMMATE'S CREDIT CARDS
GOLD MEDAL FOR THE WOMAN WHO STOLE HER TEAMMATE'S CREDIT CARDS
February 11, 2026 at 2:55 PM
THE OLYMPICS OF BIATHLON MESS CONTINUES
GOLD MEDAL FOR THE WOMAN WHO STOLE HER TEAMMATE'S CREDIT CARDS
GOLD MEDAL FOR THE WOMAN WHO STOLE HER TEAMMATE'S CREDIT CARDS
Reposted by Simon Johnson🇺🇦
OK, claiming property rights in a new term (I think). I just did a Substack live with Catherine Rampell, in which she suggested that young men may be pivoting from Bitcoin to prediction markets. And it just popped into my head: the Testosterone Trade.
February 11, 2026 at 3:36 PM
OK, claiming property rights in a new term (I think). I just did a Substack live with Catherine Rampell, in which she suggested that young men may be pivoting from Bitcoin to prediction markets. And it just popped into my head: the Testosterone Trade.
Reposted by Simon Johnson🇺🇦
That was a wild 10 days. Barely remember any of them.
FAA: The temporary closure of airspace over El Paso has been lifted. There is no threat to commercial aviation. All flights will resume as normal.
February 11, 2026 at 2:01 PM
That was a wild 10 days. Barely remember any of them.
As you were
February 11, 2026 at 2:01 PM
As you were
I have a cheap Samsung phone so not quite @pickardje.bsky.social quality but still pleased with this one
Photo from my morning jog: St Patrick's cathedral and reflection of the Rockefeller Center
February 11, 2026 at 1:23 PM
I have a cheap Samsung phone so not quite @pickardje.bsky.social quality but still pleased with this one
Are we the baddies ? Sign this NDA to find out
SCOOP: Tensions at Palantir have grown in recent weeks over the company's work with ICE.
On Friday, CEO Alex Karp tried to calm concerns in an hourlong video that offered few specifics—instead offering NDAs to workers who want to understand how it's empowering ICE.
www.wired.com/story/palant...
On Friday, CEO Alex Karp tried to calm concerns in an hourlong video that offered few specifics—instead offering NDAs to workers who want to understand how it's empowering ICE.
www.wired.com/story/palant...
Palantir CEO Alex Karp Recorded a Video About ICE for His Employees
In a video shared with Palantir employees, Alex Karp did not explain how ICE is utilizing the company's products. Instead, workers were told they can sign NDAs if they want detailed information.
www.wired.com
February 11, 2026 at 12:34 PM
Are we the baddies ? Sign this NDA to find out
Reposted by Simon Johnson🇺🇦
<staff kitchen>
NAZGUL #1: I just...
NAZGUL: #2: What?
N#1: Like... Seriously? We're hunting HOBBITS now?
N#2: I mean okay but clue was in the name
N#1: True, but still
WITCH KING <entering>: Hey
N#1: Hey
N#2: Hey
<Witch King leaves with coffee>
N#1: Maybe we should have said something
N#2: Maybe
NAZGUL #1: I just...
NAZGUL: #2: What?
N#1: Like... Seriously? We're hunting HOBBITS now?
N#2: I mean okay but clue was in the name
N#1: True, but still
WITCH KING <entering>: Hey
N#1: Hey
N#2: Hey
<Witch King leaves with coffee>
N#1: Maybe we should have said something
N#2: Maybe
SCOOP: Tensions at Palantir have grown in recent weeks over the company's work with ICE.
On Friday, CEO Alex Karp tried to calm concerns in an hourlong video that offered few specifics—instead offering NDAs to workers who want to understand how it's empowering ICE.
www.wired.com/story/palant...
On Friday, CEO Alex Karp tried to calm concerns in an hourlong video that offered few specifics—instead offering NDAs to workers who want to understand how it's empowering ICE.
www.wired.com/story/palant...
Palantir CEO Alex Karp Recorded a Video About ICE for His Employees
In a video shared with Palantir employees, Alex Karp did not explain how ICE is utilizing the company's products. Instead, workers were told they can sign NDAs if they want detailed information.
www.wired.com
February 11, 2026 at 12:14 PM
<staff kitchen>
NAZGUL #1: I just...
NAZGUL: #2: What?
N#1: Like... Seriously? We're hunting HOBBITS now?
N#2: I mean okay but clue was in the name
N#1: True, but still
WITCH KING <entering>: Hey
N#1: Hey
N#2: Hey
<Witch King leaves with coffee>
N#1: Maybe we should have said something
N#2: Maybe
NAZGUL #1: I just...
NAZGUL: #2: What?
N#1: Like... Seriously? We're hunting HOBBITS now?
N#2: I mean okay but clue was in the name
N#1: True, but still
WITCH KING <entering>: Hey
N#1: Hey
N#2: Hey
<Witch King leaves with coffee>
N#1: Maybe we should have said something
N#2: Maybe
Photo from my morning jog: St Patrick's cathedral and reflection of the Rockefeller Center
February 11, 2026 at 11:57 AM
Photo from my morning jog: St Patrick's cathedral and reflection of the Rockefeller Center
Reposted by Simon Johnson🇺🇦
Anthropic's head of safety just resigned.
Most likely a protest against the company's pivot to working with Palantir and Gulf Arab states. The "don't be evil" stage gets shorter.
(I still think Anthropic is the most morally run of the AI corps but it's like cherrypicking rooms on fire.)
Most likely a protest against the company's pivot to working with Palantir and Gulf Arab states. The "don't be evil" stage gets shorter.
(I still think Anthropic is the most morally run of the AI corps but it's like cherrypicking rooms on fire.)
February 10, 2026 at 3:34 PM
Anthropic's head of safety just resigned.
Most likely a protest against the company's pivot to working with Palantir and Gulf Arab states. The "don't be evil" stage gets shorter.
(I still think Anthropic is the most morally run of the AI corps but it's like cherrypicking rooms on fire.)
Most likely a protest against the company's pivot to working with Palantir and Gulf Arab states. The "don't be evil" stage gets shorter.
(I still think Anthropic is the most morally run of the AI corps but it's like cherrypicking rooms on fire.)
Reposted by Simon Johnson🇺🇦
At the rate SpaceX's ambitions are receding, by 2030 they'll be promising to put a supertram service in Leeds
February 10, 2026 at 1:36 AM
At the rate SpaceX's ambitions are receding, by 2030 they'll be promising to put a supertram service in Leeds
Reposted by Simon Johnson🇺🇦
The right wing press could be like the dog that caught the car if their calls for Kier Starmer to resign succeed.
Any replacement will certainly be more left wing and will have over 3 years in power until the next election.
Any replacement will certainly be more left wing and will have over 3 years in power until the next election.
February 9, 2026 at 10:07 PM
The right wing press could be like the dog that caught the car if their calls for Kier Starmer to resign succeed.
Any replacement will certainly be more left wing and will have over 3 years in power until the next election.
Any replacement will certainly be more left wing and will have over 3 years in power until the next election.
Reposted by Simon Johnson🇺🇦
Tuesday’s @thetimes.com cartoon times.newsprints.co.uk/morten-morla...
February 9, 2026 at 9:07 PM
Tuesday’s @thetimes.com cartoon times.newsprints.co.uk/morten-morla...
Reposted by Simon Johnson🇺🇦
happened a number of years ago but let me tell you, "got so drunk I managed to be too boring for Ed Miliband" really sticks with you
February 9, 2026 at 2:54 PM
happened a number of years ago but let me tell you, "got so drunk I managed to be too boring for Ed Miliband" really sticks with you
Reposted by Simon Johnson🇺🇦
Trump: "We will take Greenland whether they like it or not"
Hegseth's warriors:
Hegseth's warriors:
February 9, 2026 at 1:12 PM
Trump: "We will take Greenland whether they like it or not"
Hegseth's warriors:
Hegseth's warriors:
In NYC. Just went for a jog. -12°c.
February 9, 2026 at 11:49 AM
In NYC. Just went for a jog. -12°c.
Reposted by Simon Johnson🇺🇦
I would simply have a sports match which is more interesting than the ads and the half-time show.
February 9, 2026 at 2:08 AM
I would simply have a sports match which is more interesting than the ads and the half-time show.
Reposted by Simon Johnson🇺🇦
The Sermon on the Mount, by Beryl Lewis, before 1965, 📸 by @ScottStrazzante
February 9, 2026 at 2:16 AM
The Sermon on the Mount, by Beryl Lewis, before 1965, 📸 by @ScottStrazzante
I would simply have a sports match which is more interesting than the ads and the half-time show.
February 9, 2026 at 2:08 AM
I would simply have a sports match which is more interesting than the ads and the half-time show.
Reposted by Simon Johnson🇺🇦
One of my favourite memories of the morning of the default was an all-caps URGENT mail from a broker pointing out that the default was illegal under Russian law and that we should all sit tight while it was reversed.
February 8, 2026 at 2:19 PM
One of my favourite memories of the morning of the default was an all-caps URGENT mail from a broker pointing out that the default was illegal under Russian law and that we should all sit tight while it was reversed.
Data Centres In Space
I don't see what the problem is. Sure, you can't build them, power them, cool them, service them, protect them from cosmic rays or attach them to sufficiently fat data pipes, but apart from that, only the huge expense is stopping you.
February 8, 2026 at 1:41 PM
Data Centres In Space
Reposted by Simon Johnson🇺🇦
"This week has shown us that the supply of “greater fools” that #bitcoin relies on is drying up."
Great piece by @jemima.bsky.social with reference to La Haine ❤️
Great piece by @jemima.bsky.social with reference to La Haine ❤️
Bitcoin is still about $69,000 too high
The crypto crash is coming — and the landing won’t be pretty
giftarticle.ft.com
February 8, 2026 at 7:35 AM
"This week has shown us that the supply of “greater fools” that #bitcoin relies on is drying up."
Great piece by @jemima.bsky.social with reference to La Haine ❤️
Great piece by @jemima.bsky.social with reference to La Haine ❤️
You will not guess what this is a reply to
February 8, 2026 at 7:39 AM
You will not guess what this is a reply to