John Ochwat
@uppitycitizen.bsky.social
Writer. Recovering journalist. Once in a while musician. Part-Canadian, part Cascadian. Toronto expat. Rhymes with "crock pot." he/him
Another word is is just "dementia." It's sort of an old-fashioned word but it's very accurate.
Trump on Mamdani: "We had some interesting conversation and some of his ideas are really the same ideas that I have. But a big thing on cost. The new word is 'affordability.' Another word is just 'groceries.' It's sort of an old fashioned word but it's very accurate."
November 21, 2025 at 9:37 PM
Another word is is just "dementia." It's sort of an old-fashioned word but it's very accurate.
Me: The power button on my coffeemaker is broken
Cuisinart: [goes through usual debug routine]
Me: So can that be replaced, without me using a soldering iron?
Cuisinart: Unfortunately, we don't sell replacement power supplies.
Me: So I'm shit out of luck, right?
Cuisinart: Have a nice day.
Cuisinart: [goes through usual debug routine]
Me: So can that be replaced, without me using a soldering iron?
Cuisinart: Unfortunately, we don't sell replacement power supplies.
Me: So I'm shit out of luck, right?
Cuisinart: Have a nice day.
November 21, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Me: The power button on my coffeemaker is broken
Cuisinart: [goes through usual debug routine]
Me: So can that be replaced, without me using a soldering iron?
Cuisinart: Unfortunately, we don't sell replacement power supplies.
Me: So I'm shit out of luck, right?
Cuisinart: Have a nice day.
Cuisinart: [goes through usual debug routine]
Me: So can that be replaced, without me using a soldering iron?
Cuisinart: Unfortunately, we don't sell replacement power supplies.
Me: So I'm shit out of luck, right?
Cuisinart: Have a nice day.
After doing a little product research for a coffee maker on Amazon, I noticed the price jumped $16. What a warm feeling it was to buy it directly from the manufacturer for $31 less.
November 21, 2025 at 9:20 PM
After doing a little product research for a coffee maker on Amazon, I noticed the price jumped $16. What a warm feeling it was to buy it directly from the manufacturer for $31 less.
Reposted by John Ochwat
Printers and computers treat each other like they broke up the night before and you’re they’re mutual friend
November 14, 2025 at 1:00 AM
Printers and computers treat each other like they broke up the night before and you’re they’re mutual friend
Party time in “war-torn Portland” tonight!
November 8, 2025 at 1:48 AM
Party time in “war-torn Portland” tonight!
Reposted by John Ochwat
If I didn't live in California I'd move to Illinois.
November 4, 2025 at 11:55 PM
If I didn't live in California I'd move to Illinois.
A.O. Scott has a great scene breakdown from one of Mick Herron’s Slow Horses books. www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
What’s So Great About ‘Slow Horses’? This Scene Says It All.
The British spy show owes its sarcasm and wit to Mick Herron’s novels. Our critic A.O. Scott breaks down a few sentences from Herron’s latest, “Clown Town.”
www.nytimes.com
October 18, 2025 at 2:47 PM
A.O. Scott has a great scene breakdown from one of Mick Herron’s Slow Horses books. www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Thinking that the work ethic of Susans (“Lazy Susan”) has been unfairly maligned. Proposed modern alternatives:
- Feckless Felix
- Useless Ursula
- Ne’er-do-well Niven
- Feckless Felix
- Useless Ursula
- Ne’er-do-well Niven
October 17, 2025 at 9:01 PM
Thinking that the work ethic of Susans (“Lazy Susan”) has been unfairly maligned. Proposed modern alternatives:
- Feckless Felix
- Useless Ursula
- Ne’er-do-well Niven
- Feckless Felix
- Useless Ursula
- Ne’er-do-well Niven
Narrator: The White House is full of shit
October 8, 2025 at 11:24 PM
Narrator: The White House is full of shit
“We knit at dawn”
September 28, 2025 at 3:48 PM
“We knit at dawn”
The “they’re eating the cats” guy is invading another U.S. city. My city.
President Donald Trump has dispatched federal agents to Portland, local elected officials said in a hastily scheduled press conference on Friday night
Federal Agents Amass in Portland, Local Officials Say
Aaron Mesh, Sophie Peel
www.wweek.com
September 27, 2025 at 4:32 AM
The “they’re eating the cats” guy is invading another U.S. city. My city.
Nothing is certain except death and taxes … and if someone asks “Is this still available?” On Facebook marketplace, they’re never gonna buy it.
September 21, 2025 at 8:28 PM
Nothing is certain except death and taxes … and if someone asks “Is this still available?” On Facebook marketplace, they’re never gonna buy it.
Fantasy vs. reality
September 7, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Fantasy vs. reality
Two great bits about this:
1) If you’re gonna die on a hill, don’t half-ass it (narrator: he doesn’t half-ass it)
2) If you don’t want to keep reading after that lede, you are dead inside
www.theringer.com/2025/08/20/p...
1) If you’re gonna die on a hill, don’t half-ass it (narrator: he doesn’t half-ass it)
2) If you don’t want to keep reading after that lede, you are dead inside
www.theringer.com/2025/08/20/p...
Stop AI-Shaming Our Precious, Kindly Em Dashes—Please
Human writers have always used the em dash. In fact, it’s the most human punctuation mark there is.
www.theringer.com
August 23, 2025 at 8:14 PM
Two great bits about this:
1) If you’re gonna die on a hill, don’t half-ass it (narrator: he doesn’t half-ass it)
2) If you don’t want to keep reading after that lede, you are dead inside
www.theringer.com/2025/08/20/p...
1) If you’re gonna die on a hill, don’t half-ass it (narrator: he doesn’t half-ass it)
2) If you don’t want to keep reading after that lede, you are dead inside
www.theringer.com/2025/08/20/p...
I never saw this, but I’m four weeks into a major remodel, and I now know it’s a horror movie.
August 23, 2025 at 5:37 PM
I never saw this, but I’m four weeks into a major remodel, and I now know it’s a horror movie.
You know what works great? Mail-in ballots.
August 18, 2025 at 3:35 PM
You know what works great? Mail-in ballots.
Drummers would tell you this is a word.
August 2, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Drummers would tell you this is a word.
Oh man this Atlantic piece! Travel writing about Corfu and a meditation on my favorite Le Carré novel, The Perfect Spy. www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...
Chasing le Carré in Corfu
If you’re trying to find someone who doesn’t want to be found, you don’t go to the obvious places.
www.theatlantic.com
July 23, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Oh man this Atlantic piece! Travel writing about Corfu and a meditation on my favorite Le Carré novel, The Perfect Spy. www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...
Reposted by John Ochwat
I can't access the Toronto Public Library. Got this on two different browsers. Wonder if it's because my IP address is in the USA 🤔
June 13, 2025 at 5:14 PM
I can't access the Toronto Public Library. Got this on two different browsers. Wonder if it's because my IP address is in the USA 🤔
Los Angeles, 1937. Photo from the UCLA library
June 11, 2025 at 8:03 PM
Los Angeles, 1937. Photo from the UCLA library
Reposted by John Ochwat
At the ICE raid and subsequent community resistance in Paramount, California this morning, this skater kid ate dozens of munitions from Border Patrol agents, walked away slowly and flipped them off.
June 7, 2025 at 9:59 PM
At the ICE raid and subsequent community resistance in Paramount, California this morning, this skater kid ate dozens of munitions from Border Patrol agents, walked away slowly and flipped them off.
Robert Francis Prevost took name Leo XIV. Holy pointy hat ... what a missed opportunity. The name "Prevo I" was just *sitting right there*
May 8, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Robert Francis Prevost took name Leo XIV. Holy pointy hat ... what a missed opportunity. The name "Prevo I" was just *sitting right there*
Anyone know how I can audition to get into the reality show “So You Want to Be Next Pope”?
April 28, 2025 at 3:17 AM
Anyone know how I can audition to get into the reality show “So You Want to Be Next Pope”?