Mike Charlton
@thelongview.bsky.social
Producer/Director/Writer. Easily distracted by geopolitics and world events.
'Pliers stuck too'....What humans do in the dark hours constantly amazes me.
Merry Christmas to all. defector.com/what-did-we-...
What Did We Get Stuck In Our Rectums Last Year? | Defector
This is the time of year to be grateful for not having things stuck in our asses, and to think of those less fortunate than us. So spare a thought for those Americans who misjudged the capacity of the...
defector.com
December 26, 2025 at 2:39 PM
'Pliers stuck too'....What humans do in the dark hours constantly amazes me.
Reposted by Mike Charlton
This is one of the most beautiful things I have witnessed, the craft here is impeccable.
August 13, 2025 at 6:06 AM
This is one of the most beautiful things I have witnessed, the craft here is impeccable.
Reposted by Mike Charlton
Show me how your 2025 went:
December 15, 2025 at 11:35 PM
Show me how your 2025 went:
Reposted by Mike Charlton
I read a book on making money in ancient Athens recently (by Michael Leese, it's great), and the Greeks absolutely believed that the endless pursuit of wealth was a serious moral defect and personality issue no different than being a drunk or sexual deviant.
If you make a billion dollars — or $500 million or even $100 million dollars — and you keep trying to make more, then there is something seriously wrong with you. It's a mental illness akin to hoarding or drug addiction.
December 11, 2025 at 5:37 PM
I read a book on making money in ancient Athens recently (by Michael Leese, it's great), and the Greeks absolutely believed that the endless pursuit of wealth was a serious moral defect and personality issue no different than being a drunk or sexual deviant.
Reposted by Mike Charlton
Also every piece of human knowledge created between 2022 and the proper regulation of the bullshit machines is going to have to be quarantined with extreme prejudice, to stop this stuff cascading down to information stream forever. Like if everything asbestos touches also became asbestos.
I agree that we're likely setting ourselves up for a very long process of asbestos-like remediation efforts around "incredibly stupidly and carelessly implemented LLM tools that were rolled out after 2022"
I've noticed that people who use the inevitability argument always make comparisons to email and social media, never to NFTs or DDT.
I think the so-called "AI" stuff is going to be the tech version of asbestos: shoved in everywhere, expensive and time-consuming to remove.
I think the so-called "AI" stuff is going to be the tech version of asbestos: shoved in everywhere, expensive and time-consuming to remove.
December 10, 2025 at 6:18 PM
Also every piece of human knowledge created between 2022 and the proper regulation of the bullshit machines is going to have to be quarantined with extreme prejudice, to stop this stuff cascading down to information stream forever. Like if everything asbestos touches also became asbestos.
Reposted by Mike Charlton
Reposted by Mike Charlton
🇵🇱🇺🇸 Polish media illustration:
White House briefing: “Ushakov and Witkoff will take part in the U.S.–Russia negotiations.”
Question from the press: “And who will represent the American side?”
White House briefing: “Ushakov and Witkoff will take part in the U.S.–Russia negotiations.”
Question from the press: “And who will represent the American side?”
November 27, 2025 at 10:09 PM
🇵🇱🇺🇸 Polish media illustration:
White House briefing: “Ushakov and Witkoff will take part in the U.S.–Russia negotiations.”
Question from the press: “And who will represent the American side?”
White House briefing: “Ushakov and Witkoff will take part in the U.S.–Russia negotiations.”
Question from the press: “And who will represent the American side?”
Reposted by Mike Charlton
🍺 JD Wetherspoon – whose founder campaigned for the UK to leave the EU – is using Ireland as a springboard for its expansion into mainland Europe to avoid Brexit-induced red tape.
https://m.independent.ie/business/wetherspoon-uses-ireland-to-skirt-brexit-red-tape-for-eu-expansion/a1911675912.html
https://m.independent.ie/business/wetherspoon-uses-ireland-to-skirt-brexit-red-tape-for-eu-expansion/a1911675912.html
Wetherspoon uses Ireland to skirt Brexit red tape for EU expansion
UK pub and hotel group JD Wetherspoon – whose founder campaigned for the UK to leave the EU – is using Ireland as a springboard for its expansion into mainland Europe to avoid Brexit-induced red tape...
m.independent.ie
November 21, 2025 at 11:40 AM
🍺 JD Wetherspoon – whose founder campaigned for the UK to leave the EU – is using Ireland as a springboard for its expansion into mainland Europe to avoid Brexit-induced red tape.
https://m.independent.ie/business/wetherspoon-uses-ireland-to-skirt-brexit-red-tape-for-eu-expansion/a1911675912.html
https://m.independent.ie/business/wetherspoon-uses-ireland-to-skirt-brexit-red-tape-for-eu-expansion/a1911675912.html
Reposted by Mike Charlton
Reposted by Mike Charlton
Compare the vagueness of the clause "it is expected that Russia will not invade neighbouring countries" with the very specific limits on Ukrainian army numbers and "Ukraine agrees to enshrine in its constitution that it will not join NATO."
November 21, 2025 at 10:06 AM
Compare the vagueness of the clause "it is expected that Russia will not invade neighbouring countries" with the very specific limits on Ukrainian army numbers and "Ukraine agrees to enshrine in its constitution that it will not join NATO."
Reposted by Mike Charlton
~ The PNG Courier's overseas correspondent on the crisis at the Beeb ~
https://mrhenrymorris.substack.com/p/the-png-couriers-overseas-correspondent-da5
https://mrhenrymorris.substack.com/p/the-png-couriers-overseas-correspondent-da5
The PNG Courier's overseas correspondent on the crisis at the Beeb
Auntie's anti-Trump bias
mrhenrymorris.substack.com
November 11, 2025 at 3:03 PM
~ The PNG Courier's overseas correspondent on the crisis at the Beeb ~
https://mrhenrymorris.substack.com/p/the-png-couriers-overseas-correspondent-da5
https://mrhenrymorris.substack.com/p/the-png-couriers-overseas-correspondent-da5
Reposted by Mike Charlton
Your cat when you're choking to death in your apartment
November 6, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Your cat when you're choking to death in your apartment
Reposted by Mike Charlton
The truly maddening thing is that, unlike when I was a young man in science and the materials and engineering just weren’t there yet, the future is *right there.* The problem is *solved*. What’s holding us back is not just greed, but this bizarre nostalgia, an obsession with petro- masculinity.
Australia has so much electricity from solar power that it is going to start offering free electricity to everyone for at least three hours during the day as the wholesale price of power goes negative
electrek.co/2025/11/04/a...
electrek.co/2025/11/04/a...
Australia has so much solar that it's offering everyone free electricity
Australia's extensive solar power penetration makes so much energy that the government wants to offer free electricity at peak hours.
electrek.co
November 6, 2025 at 2:08 PM
The truly maddening thing is that, unlike when I was a young man in science and the materials and engineering just weren’t there yet, the future is *right there.* The problem is *solved*. What’s holding us back is not just greed, but this bizarre nostalgia, an obsession with petro- masculinity.
Reposted by Mike Charlton
Full-on Orwell.
November 6, 2025 at 12:49 AM
Full-on Orwell.
Reposted by Mike Charlton
This ought to be engraved somewhere.
September 23, 2025 at 2:56 AM
This ought to be engraved somewhere.
Reposted by Mike Charlton
Reposted by Mike Charlton
animals have been observed moving to higher ground before tsunamis, suggesting they’re able to sense impending disasters.
no reason to bring that up, just came to mind.
no reason to bring that up, just came to mind.
NEW: Tesla’s board chair has sold most of her shares in the EV maker in the past year
Robyn Denholm, who’s led the board since 2018, made $168 million months exercising stock options in the company, including sales worth $43 million last week #tesla www.forbes.com/sites/alanoh...
Robyn Denholm, who’s led the board since 2018, made $168 million months exercising stock options in the company, including sales worth $43 million last week #tesla www.forbes.com/sites/alanoh...
Tesla’s Board Chair Has Sold Most Of Her Shares In The EV Maker
Robyn Denholm, who’s led the board since 2018, made $168 million in the past year exercising stock options in the company, including sales worth $43 million last week.
www.forbes.com
February 14, 2025 at 7:03 PM
animals have been observed moving to higher ground before tsunamis, suggesting they’re able to sense impending disasters.
no reason to bring that up, just came to mind.
no reason to bring that up, just came to mind.
Reposted by Mike Charlton
Yesterday’s Trump Ukraine announcement should be a reality check for anyone who cares about Ukraine or European security.
We’re on our own
Bad.
But there are things we can do 1/
We’re on our own
Bad.
But there are things we can do 1/
February 13, 2025 at 10:57 PM
Yesterday’s Trump Ukraine announcement should be a reality check for anyone who cares about Ukraine or European security.
We’re on our own
Bad.
But there are things we can do 1/
We’re on our own
Bad.
But there are things we can do 1/
Reposted by Mike Charlton
Military historian Sir Antony Beevor on Times Radio on Trump-Putin:
"We should always distrust historical parallels, especially those from WW2...but there is a really very frightening echo of the betrayal of Czechoslovakia in 1938 and the idea that one can deal over the heads of a suffering nation"
"We should always distrust historical parallels, especially those from WW2...but there is a really very frightening echo of the betrayal of Czechoslovakia in 1938 and the idea that one can deal over the heads of a suffering nation"
February 13, 2025 at 3:38 PM
Military historian Sir Antony Beevor on Times Radio on Trump-Putin:
"We should always distrust historical parallels, especially those from WW2...but there is a really very frightening echo of the betrayal of Czechoslovakia in 1938 and the idea that one can deal over the heads of a suffering nation"
"We should always distrust historical parallels, especially those from WW2...but there is a really very frightening echo of the betrayal of Czechoslovakia in 1938 and the idea that one can deal over the heads of a suffering nation"
WSJ sub says fuck it, I'll head to the bar instead. Cleared to go to press.
WSJ sub: “Indian Partition went smoothly enough, right? Will try to remember to check this before publishing.”
February 13, 2025 at 12:43 PM
WSJ sub says fuck it, I'll head to the bar instead. Cleared to go to press.
Reposted by Mike Charlton
I hate Putin with every single fibre of my being but I'll give him this... he's a million times smarter and wilier than Trump and his entire administration put together.
And there's your problem world - right there.
And there's your problem world - right there.
February 12, 2025 at 7:53 PM
I hate Putin with every single fibre of my being but I'll give him this... he's a million times smarter and wilier than Trump and his entire administration put together.
And there's your problem world - right there.
And there's your problem world - right there.
Reposted by Mike Charlton
Russia's defence budget in 2024 exceeded all of Europe's combined in purchasing power terms.
Calculations by the International Institute of Strategic Studies conclude that Russia spent $462bn on defence against Europe's $457bn
+ that Russia can sustain current tempo in Ukraine in 2025.
Calculations by the International Institute of Strategic Studies conclude that Russia spent $462bn on defence against Europe's $457bn
+ that Russia can sustain current tempo in Ukraine in 2025.
February 12, 2025 at 11:08 AM
Russia's defence budget in 2024 exceeded all of Europe's combined in purchasing power terms.
Calculations by the International Institute of Strategic Studies conclude that Russia spent $462bn on defence against Europe's $457bn
+ that Russia can sustain current tempo in Ukraine in 2025.
Calculations by the International Institute of Strategic Studies conclude that Russia spent $462bn on defence against Europe's $457bn
+ that Russia can sustain current tempo in Ukraine in 2025.
Reposted by Mike Charlton
February 11, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Reposted by Mike Charlton
Musk and Trump are both in the habit of stiffing people they owe money. If markets even suspect that this habit will extend to Treasuries, God help us 2/
February 10, 2025 at 12:48 AM
Musk and Trump are both in the habit of stiffing people they owe money. If markets even suspect that this habit will extend to Treasuries, God help us 2/
Reposted by Mike Charlton
BASH: I remember a time when Republicans were very careful about the government having access to personal data
NOEM: Well, we can't trust the government anymore
BASH: You are the government
NOEM: Well, we can't trust the government anymore
BASH: You are the government
February 9, 2025 at 3:38 PM
BASH: I remember a time when Republicans were very careful about the government having access to personal data
NOEM: Well, we can't trust the government anymore
BASH: You are the government
NOEM: Well, we can't trust the government anymore
BASH: You are the government