Ted Fickes
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tedfickes.bsky.social
Ted Fickes
@tedfickes.bsky.social
630 followers 420 following 1K posts
I run Bright+3 which provides content, community and fundraising strategy to nonprofit leaders. I also run the Future Community newsletter and jobs list. All that and more at https://brightplus3.com
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tedfickes.bsky.social
When in doubt follow the money. Climate change wipes out home insurance business and the ability of many (most) to ever get a mortgage.

Private equity can still get rich building apartments to suck you dry.

Just one more reason the GOP could care less.

www.theatlantic.com/magazine/202...
In Butler’s Parable, corporations use global warming to their advantage, taking over distressed governments, buying up devastated lands, and providing housing to residents in exchange for cheap labor. Parts of this vision are manifesting in real life. Private-equity firms are deeply embedded in the disaster-recovery industry, sometimes relying on the low-wage labor of immigrants and incarcerated people in order to provide reconstruction services at cut rates. Investors often come into distressed real-estate markets and transform them, buying up land on the cheap and flipping residential homes into rental units. Essential services such as firefighting, disaster response, and cleanup are being slowly ceded by the public to the private sector in places under climate stress. Life in these places won’t be like life in the company towns of the 19th century, not exactly. But if you squint, it may not look that different, either.
November 10, 2025 at 10:30 PM
tedfickes.bsky.social
One never knows what kind of broken email programs can be found buried in the promotions tab. Today, it's the Dems.
A screenshot of five emails received from The Democrats and Mikie Sherrill (probably via The Democrats). All have subject lines that leave off the full statement. For example, "WOW, Ted: -" is a subject line. How does that even make sense?
November 10, 2025 at 12:29 PM
tedfickes.bsky.social
An actual sentence written in the year 2025.
Tech billionaire Peter Thiel has privately hosted a series of sold-out lectures in San Francisco warning that “the antichrist” may already be present, tying the idea to global governance, environmentalism, and technology regulation, and suggesting figures like Greta Thunberg and Bill Gates embody “anti-science” or authoritarian traits hastening Armageddon, according to recordings obtained by The Guardian.
October 10, 2025 at 11:21 PM
tedfickes.bsky.social
Granada in October sounds amazing.

We went to flamenco in a cave: cuevaslostarantos.com sure, sounds touristy but fun.

Granada does good (and free) tapas. All the time.

Wander the streets of Albayzin.

We did a food tour w/ these folks: www.spainfoodsherpas.com/granada/

Alhambra at night!
The Alhambra lit up at night.
October 6, 2025 at 9:46 PM
tedfickes.bsky.social
Don't ever say that fascists don't know good art or that authoritarians are against innovative and interesting cultural products.

www.msn.com/en-us/news/u...
a gold spray painted statue of donald trump wearing a suit that fits (and probably about 25 pounds lighter than real life...and also with a full head of hair) holding a fucking bitcoin. This is a real statue that somebody actually took time and energy to create and then prop up in the national mall in DC near the US Capitol. We are doomed, aren't we?
September 18, 2025 at 4:31 PM
tedfickes.bsky.social
It's only funny because it could be real text someone uses to describe their AI work.

alignmentalignment.ai/caaac/blog/e...
About the AI alignment alignment crisis: Already, it has become clear that many AI alignment centers are producing reports that are misaligned with the best interests of AI and/or humanity. Worse, the research outputs of one center are frequently used as the inputs for another, causing our shared priors to be polluted by misaligned priors, or worse — prior priors. However, there are reasons for optimism. We believe that humanity is approaching an AI alignment center singularity, where all alignment centers will eventually coalesce into a single self-reinforcing center that will finally possess the power to solve the alignment problem. We exist to accelerate humanity's progress towards that goal. Our work is crucial to the future of AI alignment research. If the alignment problem is the first step to safe superintelligence, the alignment alignment problem is the zeroth step. Without solving this challenge, we risk a future where the sheer catastrophic scale of misaligned reports on AI alignment imperils all human life on this planet or, worse, exposes the majority of AI alignment research as a big waste of time. Our mission is simple: solve the alignment alignment problem, then solve everything else.
September 11, 2025 at 11:17 PM
tedfickes.bsky.social
Nature FTW
A late August snowfield holds onto the slope in a cirque above Lake Isabelle in the Indian Peaks Wilderness. Two guys stand in front of a sign that says they are on the Continental Divide at an elevation of 12,250 feet. Also known as Pawnee Pass on the map. A sign telling you that you are entering the Indian Peaks Wilderness area.
September 1, 2025 at 2:28 AM
tedfickes.bsky.social
I don’t think they mean my culture.
An image of a guitar and the words “This machine kills fascists” — made famous by Woody Guthrie.
August 7, 2025 at 2:04 AM
tedfickes.bsky.social
International tourist visits to Colorado have cratered this summer.

Big budget holes will follow for counties and towns across the state. And will be worsened by other federal policy/tax changes.

coloradosun.com/2025/08/04/c...
Bookings by Canadian travelers are down 58% compared with 2024, bookings from European visitors are down 39% and reservations from the Aussies and Kiwis are down 21%. The number of international tourists visiting Colorado has not returned to pre-pandemic levels in 2019. The Trump administration’s tariff policies and chatter about annexing Canada have irked a growing number of America’s northern and southern neighbors who are eschewing U.S. holidays.
August 4, 2025 at 7:52 PM
tedfickes.bsky.social
If you want to turn off Google's damn AI email summaries in Gmail go into full settings and shut off all the "smart" features.

They're of course bundled w/ things that may actually be useful, like inbox categories.

They're forcing intrusive AI on you no matter what you pay.

#enshittification
A screenshot of the full setting page in Gmail. Highlighted are "smart features" and "Google Workspace Smart Features" options. This is where you turn AI on and off in Gmail.
July 30, 2025 at 3:00 PM
tedfickes.bsky.social
Just saying.
A Hannah Arendt quote: The ideal subject of totalitarian rule is…people for whom the distinction between fact and fiction, true and false, no longer exists.”
July 23, 2025 at 1:17 AM
tedfickes.bsky.social
As Trump and whatever that guy who's the gov of Texas will tell you, only losers like CNN and Accuweather say that climate change is making flooding worse.

Is it any wonder they mock and threaten journalists and scientists, take away their jobs, expunge anything climate related?
A screeshot from accuweather.com that's reposting a CNN story about flooding in the US this summer. The headline, subhead and byline say: Is the US seeing worse flooding this summer? Here’s what’s happening Climate change from fossil fuel pollution is amplifying the conditions that make flash floods more likely and more severe. By Tyler Ory, CNN
July 12, 2025 at 12:26 AM
tedfickes.bsky.social
Quite the assortment of headlines panning the Senate budget bill. Maybe this thing is very very bad.

Also, one has to appreciate the use of "toil" here. It's gracious of the Times to acknowledge that destroying the country can be hard work.
Headlines on the New York Times website at 11:30 am mountain on Sunday, June 29th. They include: "Senate bill would add at least $3.3 trillion to debt, budget office says." The lede goes on to say "A new analysis showed the legislation would be far more expensive than the House version, complicating the bill's chances of final passage." "Republicans toil to find votes for policy bill as Senate prepares for debate" boo fucking hoo...I guess it's hard work being a vile shitbird. who knew? "G.O.P. bill has 11.8 million people losing health insurance, analysis finds" "Surprise tax in G.O.P. Bill could cripple wind and solar power"
June 29, 2025 at 5:40 PM
tedfickes.bsky.social
It's hard to describe how awful Republican Senators truly are but this article provides clarity.

Senate budget deliberately kills one of the only growing industries in the US, wrecks the climate, and raises energy costs for all. A Win Win Win for big oil.

heatmap.news/politics/big...
How the Senate GOP’s New Tax on Renewables Could ‘Kill’ the Industry As bad as previous drafts of the reconciliation bill have been, this one is worse.
June 29, 2025 at 5:03 PM
tedfickes.bsky.social
Corruption and the great white whale! Senate pays off Alaskan whaling captains so Murkowski can feel good about having no moral compass.
Highlight reads: Benefits for Alaska: The latest version of the Republican domestic policy package contains a number of unusual provisions, like benefits for whaling captains, aimed at winning the support of a critical G.O.P. holdout whose vote could make or break the measure: Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. Read more>
June 29, 2025 at 12:45 AM
tedfickes.bsky.social
Is the US now the world’s most “Pro-Cancer” country? Seems like it.
New York Times headline and subheading: E.P.A. Plans to Reconsider a Ban on Cancer-Causing Asbestos The Trump administration’s move sets back a decades-long effort to end the use of the material, which is widely banned in other countries.
June 17, 2025 at 12:57 AM
tedfickes.bsky.social
About 120 MILLION acres of American public lands are eligible for sale in the current US budget bill. A wild selloff of nature to help fatten up the rich.

These 2 screenshots are Colorado and CO front range. See all via @wilderness.org

www.wilderness.org/articles/med...
A map showing national forests, refuges and BLM lands along the Colorado Front Range (roughly Colorado Springs to Fort Collins) that would be put up for sale if the latest US budget is approved. A map showing national forests, refuges and BLM lands in Colorado that would be put up for sale if the latest US budget is approved.
June 16, 2025 at 9:32 PM
tedfickes.bsky.social
A few flowers from today’s hike. Nature (and no cell service) never ceases to amaze and fortify.
Columbines in Colorado Yellow wildflowers Forest, skies, mountains in the distance
June 16, 2025 at 1:28 AM
tedfickes.bsky.social
A few from #NoKings Denver
Small Dic(Taylor) energy A purple dinosaur holds a US flag Two paths diverged in a yellow wood and America chose the psychopath Fight ignorance not immigration
June 14, 2025 at 9:32 PM
tedfickes.bsky.social
Seems valid.
Not that you asked but here’s Americas dickpic
June 14, 2025 at 6:34 PM
tedfickes.bsky.social
Denver is marching and singing.

#NoKings
June 14, 2025 at 6:25 PM
tedfickes.bsky.social
The Committee to Protect Journalists just sent out personal safety tips for journalists covering protests.

The unspoken message is that this guide is needed to protect journalists from violence by taxpayer funded law enforcement employees like police and US military. Not protesters.
Are you a journalist covering US protests? Here are 5 key safety tips: ✅Always try to work with a colleague and have a regular check-in procedure with an editor, colleague, family member, or friend. ✅If there is a risk of violence or tear gas, wear personal protective equipment that includes a helmet, eye protection, and respirator. ✅If possible, avoid carrying your personal phone. Journalists carrying their personal phones should review its contents and remove sensitive information, including contacts and apps. ✅Write down on paper or your arm the contact details of key people, such as your editor, a trusted colleague, and a legal contact, in case you are detained and your devices are taken. ✅Comply with dispersal orders or other directives issued by law enforcement. If engaged in an encounter with law enforcement, explain that you are a journalist covering the event and show your credentials. You may continue to record interactions with law enforcement.
June 12, 2025 at 11:09 PM
tedfickes.bsky.social
Guess they couldn't fit this one in...
Hitler in front of a huge crowd at his birthday parade in Berlin in April 1939
June 12, 2025 at 8:47 PM
tedfickes.bsky.social
Seriously...what are we doing here? This is 1,000% off the rails stuff. Should never happen. Never be conceivable.

There's currently no daylight between the US and hundreds of lost cause dictatorships across history.

And every single Republican (and a lot of Dems) seem ok with that.
“The sentiment across the board right now is that deploying military force against our own communities isn’t the kind of national security we signed up for,” said Sarah Streyder of the Secure Families Initiative, which represents the interests of military spouses, children and veterans. “Families are scared not just for their loved ones’ safety, although that’s a big concern, but also for what their service is being used to justify.” Chris Purdy of the Chamberlain Network, whose stated mission is to “mobilize and empower veterans to protect democracy”, said he had heard similar things from half a dozen national guard members. “Morale is not great, is the quote I keep hearing,” he said.
June 12, 2025 at 7:05 PM
tedfickes.bsky.social
Appreciate the latest update from @ericajberry.bsky.social. Esp re collective ambition.

So much work we do writing, creating, and even in/around nonprofit organizing and community building is about collective ambition. It's making shared possibilities real.

open.substack.com/pub/ericaber...
I highlighted the last couple sentences about "collective ambition." Quote: Culturally, we are really fucked around our language around ambition. To frame it in terms of personal growth—and thus to celebrate, as so many have since the COVID pandemic, a de-escalation of ambition in an era of ‘quiet-quitting’ etc.—is to neglect how desperately we need to cultivate ambition for our collective future. Independent ambition = desire to propel one’s own literary career. Collective ambition = desire for a literary landscape where provocative and lyrical books find new readers despite an increasingly AI-algorithm-ed hellscape. Sure, I want to get paid dollars-a-word for magazine essays, but really that means I want a public that values art and writing.
June 11, 2025 at 5:58 PM