Michael Tobis (mt)
@mtobis.bsky.social
PhD atmospheric/oceanic sciences 1996 but a bit rusty.
Opinionated.
Main topics: climate, sustainability, Canada, AI and ML, journalism.
Also: roots music, art, healthy plant-based food.
Please think like a planet!
https://initforthegold.blogspot.com
Opinionated.
Main topics: climate, sustainability, Canada, AI and ML, journalism.
Also: roots music, art, healthy plant-based food.
Please think like a planet!
https://initforthegold.blogspot.com
Pinned
Michael Tobis (mt)
@mtobis.bsky.social
· May 24
Climate change summarized.
"Carbon is Forever"
🧵 0/6
"Carbon is Forever"
🧵 0/6
Of course Facebook needs half the electricity in Louisiana. Look at this marvelous insight!
December 1, 2025 at 5:49 PM
Of course Facebook needs half the electricity in Louisiana. Look at this marvelous insight!
Reposted by Michael Tobis (mt)
Reposted by Michael Tobis (mt)
Exxon-Mobil (current market cap): $488B
Norway GDP (2025 est): $517B
Dispersed by TARP to rescue the financial system (adjusted for inflation): $667B
Saudi Arabia GDP (2025 est): $1268B
Amount OpenAI is on the hook for that’ll ruin companies’ balance sheets if OpenAI can’t make good: $1400B
Norway GDP (2025 est): $517B
Dispersed by TARP to rescue the financial system (adjusted for inflation): $667B
Saudi Arabia GDP (2025 est): $1268B
Amount OpenAI is on the hook for that’ll ruin companies’ balance sheets if OpenAI can’t make good: $1400B
December 1, 2025 at 3:02 AM
Exxon-Mobil (current market cap): $488B
Norway GDP (2025 est): $517B
Dispersed by TARP to rescue the financial system (adjusted for inflation): $667B
Saudi Arabia GDP (2025 est): $1268B
Amount OpenAI is on the hook for that’ll ruin companies’ balance sheets if OpenAI can’t make good: $1400B
Norway GDP (2025 est): $517B
Dispersed by TARP to rescue the financial system (adjusted for inflation): $667B
Saudi Arabia GDP (2025 est): $1268B
Amount OpenAI is on the hook for that’ll ruin companies’ balance sheets if OpenAI can’t make good: $1400B
Reposted by Michael Tobis (mt)
‘The Climate Crossroads: Why Haven’t We Changed — and How We Do Now.’
Looking forward to this webinar on Tuesday, Dec 2nd (from 4pm UK time) with @billmcKibben.bsky.social and Brian McLaren, moderated by John Izzo. Register now 👇
eldersaction.org/event/podcas...
Looking forward to this webinar on Tuesday, Dec 2nd (from 4pm UK time) with @billmcKibben.bsky.social and Brian McLaren, moderated by John Izzo. Register now 👇
eldersaction.org/event/podcas...
The Climate Crossroads: Why Haven’t We Changed — and How We Do Now - Elders Action Network
Tuesday, December 2 8:00 – 9:30 am PT / 11:00 am – 12:30 pm ET A live event from The Way Forward Regenerative Conversations Podcast We know the science— still […]
eldersaction.org
November 30, 2025 at 10:15 AM
‘The Climate Crossroads: Why Haven’t We Changed — and How We Do Now.’
Looking forward to this webinar on Tuesday, Dec 2nd (from 4pm UK time) with @billmcKibben.bsky.social and Brian McLaren, moderated by John Izzo. Register now 👇
eldersaction.org/event/podcas...
Looking forward to this webinar on Tuesday, Dec 2nd (from 4pm UK time) with @billmcKibben.bsky.social and Brian McLaren, moderated by John Izzo. Register now 👇
eldersaction.org/event/podcas...
I am constantly trying to move the conversation about sustainability beyond the trivial and superficial.
I was called on this recently, by someone who overheard a young couple trying to decide whether two packs of 8 cupcakes would be enough for 12 children.
They used a calculator app to decide.
I was called on this recently, by someone who overheard a young couple trying to decide whether two packs of 8 cupcakes would be enough for 12 children.
They used a calculator app to decide.
November 30, 2025 at 4:05 PM
I am constantly trying to move the conversation about sustainability beyond the trivial and superficial.
I was called on this recently, by someone who overheard a young couple trying to decide whether two packs of 8 cupcakes would be enough for 12 children.
They used a calculator app to decide.
I was called on this recently, by someone who overheard a young couple trying to decide whether two packs of 8 cupcakes would be enough for 12 children.
They used a calculator app to decide.
This is really interesting to me. Why is a species good and rare where it originates while bad and thriving somewhere else?
If we ever do get a grip, how should we manage a world to bring back the peak ecologies that are now vanishing with the species that are now shuffled about?
If we ever do get a grip, how should we manage a world to bring back the peak ecologies that are now vanishing with the species that are now shuffled about?
Black fin Tilapia, although threatened in its home in Cameroon, is one of the most invasive species to ever hit #Thailand! We saw shoals of this across the Pak Nam Prasar #mangrove forests and it could decimate #fisheries, #livelihoods and mangrove functioning. @mangrovesmatter.bsky.social
November 30, 2025 at 1:59 AM
This is really interesting to me. Why is a species good and rare where it originates while bad and thriving somewhere else?
If we ever do get a grip, how should we manage a world to bring back the peak ecologies that are now vanishing with the species that are now shuffled about?
If we ever do get a grip, how should we manage a world to bring back the peak ecologies that are now vanishing with the species that are now shuffled about?
Reposted by Michael Tobis (mt)
The number of times I've had to be extremely careful with what I said about AI at work because I will get shouted at if I'm not sufficiently "on board" is ridiculous. My honest opinion is it's garbage, but my work has made it so I can't be honest about how I feel and why.
November 28, 2025 at 6:58 PM
The number of times I've had to be extremely careful with what I said about AI at work because I will get shouted at if I'm not sufficiently "on board" is ridiculous. My honest opinion is it's garbage, but my work has made it so I can't be honest about how I feel and why.
Reposted by Michael Tobis (mt)
Reposted by Michael Tobis (mt)
The death of browsing is part of the reason art is the way it is now. Our opinions are largely fed to us by algorithms. Spending a spare 15 minutes wandering around a bookstore or comic shop or video rental place was how you found stuff you wouldn't ordinarily pick up and thereby expanded your taste
Bookselling is like the most "people go to the store and buy what looks cool to them without a particular agenda" type business left, and your purchases have a huge influence on what is ordered, what is displayed, and what is recommended.
November 29, 2025 at 6:44 PM
The death of browsing is part of the reason art is the way it is now. Our opinions are largely fed to us by algorithms. Spending a spare 15 minutes wandering around a bookstore or comic shop or video rental place was how you found stuff you wouldn't ordinarily pick up and thereby expanded your taste
In Europe, a division is emerging: the south and south east grow drier, including parts of the UK. Meanwhile, the North and North East, including parts of the UK, are growing wetter:
2/6
2/6
November 29, 2025 at 12:07 PM
🚨 Friday ice update - #Arctic sea ice extent is currently the lowest on record (JAXA data)
• about 910,000 km² below the 2010s mean
• about 1,500,000 km² below the 2000s mean
• about 2,170,000 km² below the 1990s mean
• about 2,660,000 km² below the 1980s mean
Graphics zacklabe.com/arctic-sea-i...
• about 910,000 km² below the 2010s mean
• about 1,500,000 km² below the 2000s mean
• about 2,170,000 km² below the 1990s mean
• about 2,660,000 km² below the 1980s mean
Graphics zacklabe.com/arctic-sea-i...
November 28, 2025 at 5:58 PM
Reposted by Michael Tobis (mt)
I cannot emphasize enough how little I want to see AI illustrations of blog posts. Ethics aside, it is boring to look at one version of a computer's simulation of what a human might have done. I'd rather imagine it myself. I'd rather just read the text. I'd rather just stare into the void.
November 28, 2025 at 2:03 AM
I cannot emphasize enough how little I want to see AI illustrations of blog posts. Ethics aside, it is boring to look at one version of a computer's simulation of what a human might have done. I'd rather imagine it myself. I'd rather just read the text. I'd rather just stare into the void.
Reposted by Michael Tobis (mt)
Reposted by Michael Tobis (mt)
Mark Carney managed to trade a pipeline that will never get built for meaningful progress on industrial carbon pricing and electricity interties — both of which will get more wind and solar built.
Remember when people thought he wasn't good at politics? www.nationalobserver.com/2025/11/27/o...
Remember when people thought he wasn't good at politics? www.nationalobserver.com/2025/11/27/o...
The method to Mark Carney’s madness
The memorandum of understanding with Alberta might look like surrender. Look closer
www.nationalobserver.com
November 27, 2025 at 10:07 PM
Mark Carney managed to trade a pipeline that will never get built for meaningful progress on industrial carbon pricing and electricity interties — both of which will get more wind and solar built.
Remember when people thought he wasn't good at politics? www.nationalobserver.com/2025/11/27/o...
Remember when people thought he wasn't good at politics? www.nationalobserver.com/2025/11/27/o...
Reposted by Michael Tobis (mt)
This afternoon, I informed the Prime Minister of my decision to resign as Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture, Minister responsible for Official Languages, Minister of Nature and Parks Canada, as well as his Lieutenant in Quebec.
You can find my full statement below.
You can find my full statement below.
November 27, 2025 at 10:32 PM
This afternoon, I informed the Prime Minister of my decision to resign as Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture, Minister responsible for Official Languages, Minister of Nature and Parks Canada, as well as his Lieutenant in Quebec.
You can find my full statement below.
You can find my full statement below.
Your universe is a photocopy of a photocopy of a…
on.ft.com/4ahkNKa
on.ft.com/4ahkNKa
November 28, 2025 at 12:14 AM
Reposted by Michael Tobis (mt)
The recording debut of EVENSUN (fka Esmé & Sons) is out, & we’re very proud of it: checkitout on Bandcamp, where musicians actually have a chance of getting paid! Diverse folk/rock/pop vibes, 5 original songs/tunes and a trad rave-up to close…. evensun.bandcamp.com/album/vensun
ƎVENSUN, by Ǝvensun
7 track album
evensun.bandcamp.com
November 19, 2025 at 3:28 PM
The recording debut of EVENSUN (fka Esmé & Sons) is out, & we’re very proud of it: checkitout on Bandcamp, where musicians actually have a chance of getting paid! Diverse folk/rock/pop vibes, 5 original songs/tunes and a trad rave-up to close…. evensun.bandcamp.com/album/vensun
November 27, 2025 at 3:49 AM
Tehran is having an historic drought due to a combination of factors, including climate change.
The ocean is not helping.
1/3
The ocean is not helping.
1/3
November 24, 2025 at 5:43 PM
Reposted by Michael Tobis (mt)
Twitter accounts are based in Russia. BlueSky accounts are based in homes with, frankly, too many books, plants, obsolete cables, and pieces of rustic pottery, that could do with a bit of a tidying up, to be honest.
November 23, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Twitter accounts are based in Russia. BlueSky accounts are based in homes with, frankly, too many books, plants, obsolete cables, and pieces of rustic pottery, that could do with a bit of a tidying up, to be honest.
I understand why folks claim intelligence could be purely algorithmic.
But I think that claiming that consciousness is algorithmic is a very different suggestion, a much weaker one, one that I find implausible.
Many arguments tend to conflate these phenomena but Intelligence isn't consciousness.
But I think that claiming that consciousness is algorithmic is a very different suggestion, a much weaker one, one that I find implausible.
Many arguments tend to conflate these phenomena but Intelligence isn't consciousness.
November 23, 2025 at 3:20 PM
I understand why folks claim intelligence could be purely algorithmic.
But I think that claiming that consciousness is algorithmic is a very different suggestion, a much weaker one, one that I find implausible.
Many arguments tend to conflate these phenomena but Intelligence isn't consciousness.
But I think that claiming that consciousness is algorithmic is a very different suggestion, a much weaker one, one that I find implausible.
Many arguments tend to conflate these phenomena but Intelligence isn't consciousness.
Reposted by Michael Tobis (mt)
Almost a year now since I received this absolutely classic burn from the Canadian government.
November 21, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Almost a year now since I received this absolutely classic burn from the Canadian government.
Springer just advertised this at me. I suspect crackpottery. Is this for real? Are there any respectable publishing houses anymore?
www.amazon.ca/Information-...
www.amazon.ca/Information-...
November 22, 2025 at 4:21 AM
Springer just advertised this at me. I suspect crackpottery. Is this for real? Are there any respectable publishing houses anymore?
www.amazon.ca/Information-...
www.amazon.ca/Information-...