Alex Panetta
@alexpanetta.bsky.social
For 28 years: a journalist in print, TV, radio @ CBC, POLITICO, CP. Next: Getting a master’s in Artificial Intelligence management at Georgetown.
it's probably nothing...
November 11, 2025 at 5:58 AM
it's probably nothing...
The food in Turkey is amazing. Translated menus amazing in a different way.
October 23, 2025 at 8:00 AM
The food in Turkey is amazing. Translated menus amazing in a different way.
I started a blog about my current studies with a first post about a topic dear to my heart: Saving the news.
On how I turned AI against itself. Used it to avoid algorithms; kill my doomscrolling habit; reduce screen time; and focus on what matters.
Anyone can do it. Here's how.
On how I turned AI against itself. Used it to avoid algorithms; kill my doomscrolling habit; reduce screen time; and focus on what matters.
Anyone can do it. Here's how.
September 23, 2025 at 11:24 AM
I started a blog about my current studies with a first post about a topic dear to my heart: Saving the news.
On how I turned AI against itself. Used it to avoid algorithms; kill my doomscrolling habit; reduce screen time; and focus on what matters.
Anyone can do it. Here's how.
On how I turned AI against itself. Used it to avoid algorithms; kill my doomscrolling habit; reduce screen time; and focus on what matters.
Anyone can do it. Here's how.
Time to get to work. After two months of touring ancient ruins, and beaches, and in a couple of cases ruins *on* beaches, I’m going back to school today for the first time in 26 years. Only this time, my classroom is a laptop. The program is Georgetown’s AI master’s. Very excited to dig into this.
August 27, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Time to get to work. After two months of touring ancient ruins, and beaches, and in a couple of cases ruins *on* beaches, I’m going back to school today for the first time in 26 years. Only this time, my classroom is a laptop. The program is Georgetown’s AI master’s. Very excited to dig into this.
….more on 🇺🇸 🇨🇦 🇮🇱 🇵🇸
Based on a variety of factors, including the divisions within Trump’s base, plus the vague language of his tweet, I’m smelling limited shelf life on this one
Based on a variety of factors, including the divisions within Trump’s base, plus the vague language of his tweet, I’m smelling limited shelf life on this one
July 31, 2025 at 3:22 PM
….more on 🇺🇸 🇨🇦 🇮🇱 🇵🇸
Based on a variety of factors, including the divisions within Trump’s base, plus the vague language of his tweet, I’m smelling limited shelf life on this one
Based on a variety of factors, including the divisions within Trump’s base, plus the vague language of his tweet, I’m smelling limited shelf life on this one
/ and if he’s really speaking like this behind closed doors, I don’t think I’m wrong:
July 31, 2025 at 12:47 PM
/ and if he’s really speaking like this behind closed doors, I don’t think I’m wrong:
Organized crime. It’s embedded deep in the roots of our evolutionary tree
www.wsj.com/lifestyle/mo...
www.wsj.com/lifestyle/mo...
July 31, 2025 at 7:08 AM
Organized crime. It’s embedded deep in the roots of our evolutionary tree
www.wsj.com/lifestyle/mo...
www.wsj.com/lifestyle/mo...
An entertaining insider account of life at Facebook, Careless People, starts with an awkward meeting between Mark Zuckerberg and Canadian PM Stephen Harper at a 2015 international summit in the Panamanian jungle.
July 24, 2025 at 11:57 AM
An entertaining insider account of life at Facebook, Careless People, starts with an awkward meeting between Mark Zuckerberg and Canadian PM Stephen Harper at a 2015 international summit in the Panamanian jungle.
Multiple generations of Roman life, in one snapshot
July 23, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Multiple generations of Roman life, in one snapshot
A couple of blocks away: one of the oldest Jewish neighbourhoods in the world, dating back to antiquity. Which birthed a unique culinary and linguistic culture. And during the inquisition became a centuries-long ghetto and site of countless unimaginable cruelties.
July 23, 2025 at 3:50 PM
A couple of blocks away: one of the oldest Jewish neighbourhoods in the world, dating back to antiquity. Which birthed a unique culinary and linguistic culture. And during the inquisition became a centuries-long ghetto and site of countless unimaginable cruelties.
A stone’s throw away, the temple of Saturn. Key site of the Saturnalian solstice festival, where Romans exchanged presents and partied. Then became the Sun festival of December 25. Finally, when Rome Christianized, they succeeded at extending the life of this popular holiday for thousands more years
July 23, 2025 at 3:42 PM
A stone’s throw away, the temple of Saturn. Key site of the Saturnalian solstice festival, where Romans exchanged presents and partied. Then became the Sun festival of December 25. Finally, when Rome Christianized, they succeeded at extending the life of this popular holiday for thousands more years
/ With a notable caveat: By the time this specific Senate building was complete, the Roman republic had spiralled into win-at-any-cost factionalism. It became paralyzed by dysfunction. A dictator took over. And republican government disappeared from the face of the Earth for over 1000 years. 😬
July 23, 2025 at 3:35 PM
/ With a notable caveat: By the time this specific Senate building was complete, the Roman republic had spiralled into win-at-any-cost factionalism. It became paralyzed by dysfunction. A dictator took over. And republican government disappeared from the face of the Earth for over 1000 years. 😬
Today’s Rome 101: Where do Christmas and Congress come from? Turns out: From the same neighborhood. Two buildings, 100 yards apart
To the left: the Temple of Saturn that hosted the Dec 25 holiday later refashioned as Christmas. To the right: the Roman Senate, inspiration for the American republic
To the left: the Temple of Saturn that hosted the Dec 25 holiday later refashioned as Christmas. To the right: the Roman Senate, inspiration for the American republic
July 23, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Today’s Rome 101: Where do Christmas and Congress come from? Turns out: From the same neighborhood. Two buildings, 100 yards apart
To the left: the Temple of Saturn that hosted the Dec 25 holiday later refashioned as Christmas. To the right: the Roman Senate, inspiration for the American republic
To the left: the Temple of Saturn that hosted the Dec 25 holiday later refashioned as Christmas. To the right: the Roman Senate, inspiration for the American republic
The Pantheon. 10:30 am and 11:30 am. Showing the effect of the light descending to floor level — positioned perfectly to illuminate the doorway every year at noon on Rome’s birthday. Every April 21, the emperor entered as if illuminated by a celestial spotlight. Heck of a visual effect.
July 22, 2025 at 6:43 PM
The Pantheon. 10:30 am and 11:30 am. Showing the effect of the light descending to floor level — positioned perfectly to illuminate the doorway every year at noon on Rome’s birthday. Every April 21, the emperor entered as if illuminated by a celestial spotlight. Heck of a visual effect.
The superhighway of the ancient world. The beginning, middle, and end of the old Appian Way. As seen in Rome, Puglia, and by the port of Brindisi which connected the trading routes of Rome to Greece and lots of other places. 🍷 🫒 🥖 🌶️
July 21, 2025 at 4:41 PM
The superhighway of the ancient world. The beginning, middle, and end of the old Appian Way. As seen in Rome, Puglia, and by the port of Brindisi which connected the trading routes of Rome to Greece and lots of other places. 🍷 🫒 🥖 🌶️
Artificial Intelligence is a totally new area of focus for me. So far, it’s been fun.
I’ve plunged into reading about it, to prep for school. I’m beginning at, well, the beginning…..
I’ve plunged into reading about it, to prep for school. I’m beginning at, well, the beginning…..
July 18, 2025 at 10:08 PM
Artificial Intelligence is a totally new area of focus for me. So far, it’s been fun.
I’ve plunged into reading about it, to prep for school. I’m beginning at, well, the beginning…..
I’ve plunged into reading about it, to prep for school. I’m beginning at, well, the beginning…..
.@PIIE has a report out on the global effects of Trump's tariffs. Here are its projections for Canada under different scenarios.
www.piie.com/publications...
www.piie.com/publications...
June 25, 2025 at 4:01 PM
.@PIIE has a report out on the global effects of Trump's tariffs. Here are its projections for Canada under different scenarios.
www.piie.com/publications...
www.piie.com/publications...
Doing some housekeeping as I prepare to move to Turkey, and how appropriate that I stumbled upon this
On the left: my first article as a paid journalist. On the right: my last day on the job, 28 years later
I have two unpublished articles still coming. Then getting ready to start the AI program
On the left: my first article as a paid journalist. On the right: my last day on the job, 28 years later
I have two unpublished articles still coming. Then getting ready to start the AI program
June 24, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Doing some housekeeping as I prepare to move to Turkey, and how appropriate that I stumbled upon this
On the left: my first article as a paid journalist. On the right: my last day on the job, 28 years later
I have two unpublished articles still coming. Then getting ready to start the AI program
On the left: my first article as a paid journalist. On the right: my last day on the job, 28 years later
I have two unpublished articles still coming. Then getting ready to start the AI program
Me and Richard signing each other’s farewell cards in the office Friday.
Him: Where you going next? Me: On a long summer vacation.
Me: What about you? Where you going? Him:
www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews...
Him: Where you going next? Me: On a long summer vacation.
Me: What about you? Where you going? Him:
www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews...
June 24, 2025 at 2:31 AM
Me and Richard signing each other’s farewell cards in the office Friday.
Him: Where you going next? Me: On a long summer vacation.
Me: What about you? Where you going? Him:
www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews...
Him: Where you going next? Me: On a long summer vacation.
Me: What about you? Where you going? Him:
www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews...
The news cycle is relentless here so, amazingly, this story has slipped into the memory-hole, but I'm frantically reading up on it again today
June 17, 2025 at 5:53 PM
The news cycle is relentless here so, amazingly, this story has slipped into the memory-hole, but I'm frantically reading up on it again today
Most Washingtonians avoiding the downtown today, but there are scenes like this all over the city
June 14, 2025 at 8:34 PM
Most Washingtonians avoiding the downtown today, but there are scenes like this all over the city
I spoke to this 100-year-old woman at a protest today. Ellie Newman. She turned 100 the month Trump was reelected.
She's lived through the rise and fall of fascism, the creation of the modern welfare state and civil rights.
Here’s what she told me:
www.cbc.ca/news/world/n...
She's lived through the rise and fall of fascism, the creation of the modern welfare state and civil rights.
Here’s what she told me:
www.cbc.ca/news/world/n...
June 14, 2025 at 8:18 PM
I spoke to this 100-year-old woman at a protest today. Ellie Newman. She turned 100 the month Trump was reelected.
She's lived through the rise and fall of fascism, the creation of the modern welfare state and civil rights.
Here’s what she told me:
www.cbc.ca/news/world/n...
She's lived through the rise and fall of fascism, the creation of the modern welfare state and civil rights.
Here’s what she told me:
www.cbc.ca/news/world/n...
Random tweet, or acknowledgement of an impending reverse-U-turn in deportation planning? Tune in next week…
June 12, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Random tweet, or acknowledgement of an impending reverse-U-turn in deportation planning? Tune in next week…
A rare case of culture shock, visiting my own home country — Canada. I’ve gotten used to seeing $8 deodorant locked up behind glass cases the last few years. Currently at a downtown big-city pharmacy in Canada where $262.49 products are sitting out in the open
June 10, 2025 at 12:20 AM
A rare case of culture shock, visiting my own home country — Canada. I’ve gotten used to seeing $8 deodorant locked up behind glass cases the last few years. Currently at a downtown big-city pharmacy in Canada where $262.49 products are sitting out in the open
You’ll be shocked to hear this is escalating
June 5, 2025 at 6:44 PM
You’ll be shocked to hear this is escalating