Christopher Dornan
@chrisdornan.bsky.social
Ahora, jubilado. Formerly, School of Journalism and Communication & Arthur Kroeger College of Public Affairs, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada. 🇨🇦 Writing on disinformation, the twilight of the news media, and politics. Click here: www.educatedguesses.ca
Pinned
Is it time for a Chris Dornan starter pack? Do you need to know what is happening to what used to be called the “news media"? Here’s an immodest reading list to get you started, whether you are a high school media literacy teacher, the incoming president of the CBC, or the CEO of Postmedia. 👇👇👇
Confused Canadian trying to follow along with US politics:
Q: Did these people cross the floor?
A: No.
Q: They decided to sit as independents?
A: Np.
Q: They were expelled by their party?
A: No.
Q: Did these people cross the floor?
A: No.
Q: They decided to sit as independents?
A: Np.
Q: They were expelled by their party?
A: No.
November 11, 2025 at 6:19 AM
Confused Canadian trying to follow along with US politics:
Q: Did these people cross the floor?
A: No.
Q: They decided to sit as independents?
A: Np.
Q: They were expelled by their party?
A: No.
Q: Did these people cross the floor?
A: No.
Q: They decided to sit as independents?
A: Np.
Q: They were expelled by their party?
A: No.
I'm sure others have pointed it out, but there it is in a nutshell. Elon Musk and his ilk think human society cleaves into makers and takers. It's that stupid.
In case you didn’t see the original post. Just wow:
November 11, 2025 at 3:35 AM
I'm sure others have pointed it out, but there it is in a nutshell. Elon Musk and his ilk think human society cleaves into makers and takers. It's that stupid.
Reposted by Christopher Dornan
joyce carol oates and menswear guy should tape a special together
November 10, 2025 at 7:09 PM
joyce carol oates and menswear guy should tape a special together
Reposted by Christopher Dornan
By using s33 pre-emptively, the UCP is not simply admitting that their laws are breaching Charter rights. (Governments have done that before.)
By foregoing judicial review, they are further admitting that their laws cannot be justified in a democratic society.
open.substack.com/pub/drjaredw...
By foregoing judicial review, they are further admitting that their laws cannot be justified in a democratic society.
open.substack.com/pub/drjaredw...
November 10, 2025 at 2:32 AM
By using s33 pre-emptively, the UCP is not simply admitting that their laws are breaching Charter rights. (Governments have done that before.)
By foregoing judicial review, they are further admitting that their laws cannot be justified in a democratic society.
open.substack.com/pub/drjaredw...
By foregoing judicial review, they are further admitting that their laws cannot be justified in a democratic society.
open.substack.com/pub/drjaredw...
A reminder that in the US political system there is no such thing as a vote of confidence. Beyond a coup, there is no way for the government to fall before the next election. Yes, the president can be removed by impeachment, but even if that were to happen the party in power would remain in power.
November 10, 2025 at 2:38 AM
A reminder that in the US political system there is no such thing as a vote of confidence. Beyond a coup, there is no way for the government to fall before the next election. Yes, the president can be removed by impeachment, but even if that were to happen the party in power would remain in power.
Where is your god, the free market, now?
“OpenAI is getting ready to run hat in hand to the taxpayer for subsidies.” After losing more than $13 billion this year, OpenAI officials are angling for a bailout. From @ryanlcooper.com:
trib.al/CUazMCQ
trib.al/CUazMCQ
OpenAI Is Maneuvering for a Government Bailout - The American Prospect
For artificial intelligence to ever pencil out, some truly enormous revenue streams will be required. And if you need trillions of dollars for data centers forever, there’s only one entity to turn to: Uncle Sam.
trib.al
November 9, 2025 at 2:42 AM
Where is your god, the free market, now?
Reposted by Christopher Dornan
And thou mayest aske thyself, 'How do Ich werke thys?'
And thou mayest aske thyself, 'Wher ys that large destrier?'
And thou mayest telle thyself, 'Thys nys not my beautiful castle!'
And thou mayest telle thyself, 'Thys nys not my swift goshawk!'
And thou mayest aske thyself, 'Wher ys that large destrier?'
And thou mayest telle thyself, 'Thys nys not my beautiful castle!'
And thou mayest telle thyself, 'Thys nys not my swift goshawk!'
November 8, 2025 at 2:36 AM
And thou mayest aske thyself, 'How do Ich werke thys?'
And thou mayest aske thyself, 'Wher ys that large destrier?'
And thou mayest telle thyself, 'Thys nys not my beautiful castle!'
And thou mayest telle thyself, 'Thys nys not my swift goshawk!'
And thou mayest aske thyself, 'Wher ys that large destrier?'
And thou mayest telle thyself, 'Thys nys not my beautiful castle!'
And thou mayest telle thyself, 'Thys nys not my swift goshawk!'
I’ve watched the first episode of Pluribus and very much enjoyed it. But at its end I thought, well, where can it go from here? I worried that it painted itself into a narrative corner. Looking forward to seeing how and why I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Second episode: Holy shit, he thought of EVERYTHING.
PLURIBUS: This must have been so much fun to shoot.
November 9, 2025 at 2:25 AM
I’ve watched the first episode of Pluribus and very much enjoyed it. But at its end I thought, well, where can it go from here? I worried that it painted itself into a narrative corner. Looking forward to seeing how and why I couldn’t have been more wrong.
He’s not wrong.
December 2024, Finance Minister resigns, warns aboot "gimmicks" in the Budget.
November 2025, new Budget delivered, extensive news coverage of potential Eurovision entry.
#Canpoli
November 2025, new Budget delivered, extensive news coverage of potential Eurovision entry.
#Canpoli
November 9, 2025 at 2:06 AM
He’s not wrong.
Reposted by Christopher Dornan
December 2024, Finance Minister resigns, warns aboot "gimmicks" in the Budget.
November 2025, new Budget delivered, extensive news coverage of potential Eurovision entry.
#Canpoli
November 2025, new Budget delivered, extensive news coverage of potential Eurovision entry.
#Canpoli
November 9, 2025 at 1:50 AM
December 2024, Finance Minister resigns, warns aboot "gimmicks" in the Budget.
November 2025, new Budget delivered, extensive news coverage of potential Eurovision entry.
#Canpoli
November 2025, new Budget delivered, extensive news coverage of potential Eurovision entry.
#Canpoli
Reposted by Christopher Dornan
A Sharon Begley byline, almost 5 years after her death.
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
James Watson, dead at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers
James Watson, the co-discoverer of the structure of DNA who died Thursday at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers.
www.statnews.com
November 8, 2025 at 1:39 PM
A Sharon Begley byline, almost 5 years after her death.
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
Reposted by Christopher Dornan
"We submit for your approval this and other frozen moments of nightmare placed on canvas."
November 8, 1969: the Night Gallery pilot movie debuts. Includes Steven Spielberg's directorial debut, "Eyes." The series followed a year later.
Happy 56th birthday, NG!
November 8, 1969: the Night Gallery pilot movie debuts. Includes Steven Spielberg's directorial debut, "Eyes." The series followed a year later.
Happy 56th birthday, NG!
November 9, 2025 at 1:20 AM
"We submit for your approval this and other frozen moments of nightmare placed on canvas."
November 8, 1969: the Night Gallery pilot movie debuts. Includes Steven Spielberg's directorial debut, "Eyes." The series followed a year later.
Happy 56th birthday, NG!
November 8, 1969: the Night Gallery pilot movie debuts. Includes Steven Spielberg's directorial debut, "Eyes." The series followed a year later.
Happy 56th birthday, NG!
Reposted by Christopher Dornan
We’re trying to kickstart sales on PeaceLoveCanada.ca, so feel free to help out
November 8, 2025 at 12:16 AM
We’re trying to kickstart sales on PeaceLoveCanada.ca, so feel free to help out
Reposted by Christopher Dornan
Such a fantastic starter pack of amazing Canadians! 🇨🇦
Thank you very much,
@noofieninja.bsky.social
For including me! ♥️
Please share and repost for everyone! ⬇️⬇️
#USDemocracy
go.bsky.app/Df1Uj7m
Thank you very much,
@noofieninja.bsky.social
For including me! ♥️
Please share and repost for everyone! ⬇️⬇️
#USDemocracy
go.bsky.app/Df1Uj7m
November 8, 2025 at 5:42 AM
Such a fantastic starter pack of amazing Canadians! 🇨🇦
Thank you very much,
@noofieninja.bsky.social
For including me! ♥️
Please share and repost for everyone! ⬇️⬇️
#USDemocracy
go.bsky.app/Df1Uj7m
Thank you very much,
@noofieninja.bsky.social
For including me! ♥️
Please share and repost for everyone! ⬇️⬇️
#USDemocracy
go.bsky.app/Df1Uj7m
Reposted by Christopher Dornan
Reposted by Christopher Dornan
The Fraser Institute published a study on the fiscal cost of Canada’s low-carbon economy -- one that (shocker!) found lots of money spent on relatively few jobs.
I fact checked it for them. It didn't go well.
maxfawcett.substack.com/p/lies-damn-...
I fact checked it for them. It didn't go well.
maxfawcett.substack.com/p/lies-damn-...
Lies, damn lies, and Fraser Institute studies
Maybe they didn't expect anyone to fact check their work. I did it anyways.
maxfawcett.substack.com
November 7, 2025 at 4:29 PM
The Fraser Institute published a study on the fiscal cost of Canada’s low-carbon economy -- one that (shocker!) found lots of money spent on relatively few jobs.
I fact checked it for them. It didn't go well.
maxfawcett.substack.com/p/lies-damn-...
I fact checked it for them. It didn't go well.
maxfawcett.substack.com/p/lies-damn-...
Reposted by Christopher Dornan
Hi Bluesky 👋
Small life update: I’m at the centre of a multimillion dollar lawsuit in Alberta launched by a failed candidate for Jason Kenney’s UCP
It may be the longest and most expensive media trial in Canadian history
I’m ready to go public about it and I want to share more details with you 🧵
Small life update: I’m at the centre of a multimillion dollar lawsuit in Alberta launched by a failed candidate for Jason Kenney’s UCP
It may be the longest and most expensive media trial in Canadian history
I’m ready to go public about it and I want to share more details with you 🧵
November 7, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Hi Bluesky 👋
Small life update: I’m at the centre of a multimillion dollar lawsuit in Alberta launched by a failed candidate for Jason Kenney’s UCP
It may be the longest and most expensive media trial in Canadian history
I’m ready to go public about it and I want to share more details with you 🧵
Small life update: I’m at the centre of a multimillion dollar lawsuit in Alberta launched by a failed candidate for Jason Kenney’s UCP
It may be the longest and most expensive media trial in Canadian history
I’m ready to go public about it and I want to share more details with you 🧵
You know how you hate auto-correct? Now imagine that, but it's altering your tax filings without your permission. That's AI.
November 7, 2025 at 2:59 AM
You know how you hate auto-correct? Now imagine that, but it's altering your tax filings without your permission. That's AI.
Things that Musk said at Tesla shareholders meeting, #3
Optimus will overturn the fundamentals of economics to an extent that we may not even need money in the future, Musk says, and yet he still recommends people "hold onto your Tesla stock," which seems like a kind of mixed message.
November 7, 2025 at 2:15 AM
Things that Musk said at Tesla shareholders meeting, #3
Things that Musk said at Tesla shareholders meeting, #2
Optimus robots will just kinda follow criminals around and make sure they don't commit crimes again, so we can eliminate prisons.
These are all things Elon Musk is literally saying.
These are all things Elon Musk is literally saying.
November 7, 2025 at 2:15 AM
Things that Musk said at Tesla shareholders meeting, #2
Things that Musk said at Tesla shareholders meeting, #1 (Optimus is Tesla’s attempt to build a humanoid robot.)
Optimus will be built at a rate of a billion units per year and eliminate poverty
November 7, 2025 at 2:14 AM
Things that Musk said at Tesla shareholders meeting, #1 (Optimus is Tesla’s attempt to build a humanoid robot.)
Reposted by Christopher Dornan
THIS IS AMAZING. ALSO WHAT, IF ANYTHING, DID WE FORGET TO RUIN?
A List of Things Said to Have Been Ruined by Women
🧵
🧵
November 6, 2025 at 9:19 PM
THIS IS AMAZING. ALSO WHAT, IF ANYTHING, DID WE FORGET TO RUIN?
Reposted by Christopher Dornan
A List of Things Said to Have Been Ruined by Women
🧵
🧵
November 6, 2025 at 8:43 PM
A List of Things Said to Have Been Ruined by Women
🧵
🧵
Reposted by Christopher Dornan
Imagine that, actually seizing the sub? www.bbc.com/news/article...
Portugal: Narco-sub carrying 1.7 tonnes of cocaine seized in Atlantic
The semi-submersible vessel was bound for various European countries, officials say.
www.bbc.com
November 5, 2025 at 9:12 PM
Imagine that, actually seizing the sub? www.bbc.com/news/article...
Reposted by Christopher Dornan
No room for debate
Postmedia quietly whittles away local viewpoints from the Saskatoon StarPhoenix and Regina Leader-Post. Photo by P.W. Elliott
j-source.ca/no-room-for-...
Postmedia quietly whittles away local viewpoints from the Saskatoon StarPhoenix and Regina Leader-Post. Photo by P.W. Elliott
j-source.ca/no-room-for-...
No room for debate - J-Source
Postmedia quietly whittles away local viewpoints from the Saskatoon StarPhoenix and Regina Leader-Post. Photo by P.W. Elliott
j-source.ca
November 6, 2025 at 9:07 PM
No room for debate
Postmedia quietly whittles away local viewpoints from the Saskatoon StarPhoenix and Regina Leader-Post. Photo by P.W. Elliott
j-source.ca/no-room-for-...
Postmedia quietly whittles away local viewpoints from the Saskatoon StarPhoenix and Regina Leader-Post. Photo by P.W. Elliott
j-source.ca/no-room-for-...