Conrad Z. Risher
@czrisher.bsky.social
(he/him) (Not actually Thomas Hobbes, I just try to be.)
Reposted by Conrad Z. Risher
THREAD. A collection of photographs of excellent trees I have met on walks.
You will find the captions to each photo in the alt text.
You will find the captions to each photo in the alt text.
November 19, 2025 at 6:31 PM
THREAD. A collection of photographs of excellent trees I have met on walks.
You will find the captions to each photo in the alt text.
You will find the captions to each photo in the alt text.
Reposted by Conrad Z. Risher
There’s one person squarely to blame for Trump’s corruption, authoritarianism & assault on democracy: John Roberts. He’s enabled so much of Trump’s lawlessness while somehow escaping accountability for it
New cover story from @pemalevy.bsky.social & me
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
New cover story from @pemalevy.bsky.social & me
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
This is all John Roberts’ fault
Trump owes his corrupt and abusive reign to one man.
www.motherjones.com
November 19, 2025 at 3:27 PM
There’s one person squarely to blame for Trump’s corruption, authoritarianism & assault on democracy: John Roberts. He’s enabled so much of Trump’s lawlessness while somehow escaping accountability for it
New cover story from @pemalevy.bsky.social & me
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
New cover story from @pemalevy.bsky.social & me
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Conrad Z. Risher
One way to show solidarity without becoming "part of the story" -- which is a great fear for many in the press corps -- is for the next reporter to repeat the same question that the insulted journalist was trying to ask.
And then again. And, if necessary, again. Until he answers the question
And then again. And, if necessary, again. Until he answers the question
…and then the rest of the White House press corps pushed back against the president’s gratuitous insult aimed at one of their colleagues?
Oh wait! There’s no sign that anything like that happened!
Because access beats out solidarity, every day of the week.
people.com/donald-trump...
Oh wait! There’s no sign that anything like that happened!
Because access beats out solidarity, every day of the week.
people.com/donald-trump...
Donald Trump Snaps at Female Reporter Who Asks About Epstein Files: 'Quiet Piggy'
Donald Trump Says 'Quiet Piggy' to Female Reporter Asking About Epstein Files
people.com
November 18, 2025 at 1:25 PM
One way to show solidarity without becoming "part of the story" -- which is a great fear for many in the press corps -- is for the next reporter to repeat the same question that the insulted journalist was trying to ask.
And then again. And, if necessary, again. Until he answers the question
And then again. And, if necessary, again. Until he answers the question
Reposted by Conrad Z. Risher
Fascinating. Tanzania is among those leading in an effort to re-green desertified areas, and rather than 'planting' trees, they have brought back old techniques to prompt dormant tree root systems to begin to regenerate into full trees again.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5g6...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5g6...
We grew a forest WITHOUT planting a single tree
YouTube video by Planet Wild
www.youtube.com
November 15, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Fascinating. Tanzania is among those leading in an effort to re-green desertified areas, and rather than 'planting' trees, they have brought back old techniques to prompt dormant tree root systems to begin to regenerate into full trees again.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5g6...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5g6...
Reposted by Conrad Z. Risher
People have been misinterpreting Lolita since it came out and Nabokov was like "you're absolutely wrong; I wrote this to create a trap that you fell into and you should reflect on why you were so gullible about a monster."
![INTERVIEWER
He does [names him]. A third critic has said that you “diminish” your characters “to the point where they become ciphers in a cosmic farce.” I disagree; Humbert, while comic, retains a touching and insistent quality—that of the spoiled artist.
NABOKOV
I would put it differently: Humbert Humbert is a vain and cruel wretch who manages to appear “touching.” That epithet, in its true, tear-iridized sense, can only apply to my poor little girl. Besides, how can I “diminish” to the level of ciphers, et cetera, characters that I have invented myself? One can “diminish” a biographee, but not an eidolon.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:sajwk2kma5oeryy6odgweciz/bafkreibqwlfwj2jyd3apcdb22rbcxsvxpnw36ryqpgqwyu3kc4cn2rbkxm@jpeg)
November 13, 2025 at 4:21 PM
People have been misinterpreting Lolita since it came out and Nabokov was like "you're absolutely wrong; I wrote this to create a trap that you fell into and you should reflect on why you were so gullible about a monster."
Reposted by Conrad Z. Risher
Kyle Kingsbury is not a journalist. He is not an op-ed writer.
He is a computer safety researcher.
And he has written one of the most compelling, comprehensive accounts of the ongoing hell in Chicago that you could possibly imagine.
In under 1600 words.
aphyr.com/posts/397-i-...
He is a computer safety researcher.
And he has written one of the most compelling, comprehensive accounts of the ongoing hell in Chicago that you could possibly imagine.
In under 1600 words.
aphyr.com/posts/397-i-...
November 9, 2025 at 8:49 PM
Kyle Kingsbury is not a journalist. He is not an op-ed writer.
He is a computer safety researcher.
And he has written one of the most compelling, comprehensive accounts of the ongoing hell in Chicago that you could possibly imagine.
In under 1600 words.
aphyr.com/posts/397-i-...
He is a computer safety researcher.
And he has written one of the most compelling, comprehensive accounts of the ongoing hell in Chicago that you could possibly imagine.
In under 1600 words.
aphyr.com/posts/397-i-...
Reposted by Conrad Z. Risher
"And rather than explain to these very real constituents that Republicans have sidelined us completely and created an authoritarian regime, I nodded and said, OK, you probably know more about it than I do."
Shaheen: "When I talk to my constituents in New Hampshire, you know what they say to me? They say, 'Why can't you all just work together to address the problems that are facing this country?'"
November 10, 2025 at 1:14 PM
"And rather than explain to these very real constituents that Republicans have sidelined us completely and created an authoritarian regime, I nodded and said, OK, you probably know more about it than I do."
Reposted by Conrad Z. Risher
taking a senior government job can mean a 10x or even 100x pay cut for certain fields. does seem to make good sense to take a look at both sides of that equation.
people hate hearing this but it's 100% true, creating a huge pay gap between political leaders, their staffs, and other elites is a recipe for corruption. of course the flip side of that is taxes on the rich should be jacked way the hell up
The Mayor of New York only makes $260k. I bet there are police that make more than that in NY with overtime.
We need to pay elected leaders more money and stop pretending it's some sort of calling. They're managing hundreds of billions of dollars in investments and millions of people's lives.
We need to pay elected leaders more money and stop pretending it's some sort of calling. They're managing hundreds of billions of dollars in investments and millions of people's lives.
November 7, 2025 at 3:50 PM
taking a senior government job can mean a 10x or even 100x pay cut for certain fields. does seem to make good sense to take a look at both sides of that equation.
Reposted by Conrad Z. Risher
DHS confirmed it has stopped automatically storing officials' text messages.
Instead, officials are supposed to take a screenshot, send that to their work email, download it onto their work computer and run a text-recognition program on it. Every time.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/06/u...
Instead, officials are supposed to take a screenshot, send that to their work email, download it onto their work computer and run a text-recognition program on it. Every time.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/06/u...
November 7, 2025 at 3:23 PM
DHS confirmed it has stopped automatically storing officials' text messages.
Instead, officials are supposed to take a screenshot, send that to their work email, download it onto their work computer and run a text-recognition program on it. Every time.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/06/u...
Instead, officials are supposed to take a screenshot, send that to their work email, download it onto their work computer and run a text-recognition program on it. Every time.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/06/u...
Reposted by Conrad Z. Risher
I've seen this go by a few times on TikTok now and I have to say, I love this idea. We need a way to convince people to keep running even if they don't win, maybe building the loss into it as a troll move is the secret.
November 6, 2025 at 12:49 AM
I've seen this go by a few times on TikTok now and I have to say, I love this idea. We need a way to convince people to keep running even if they don't win, maybe building the loss into it as a troll move is the secret.
Reposted by Conrad Z. Risher
The speed of light visualized on a world map.
Credit: Dr James O'Donoghue
Credit: Dr James O'Donoghue
October 18, 2025 at 9:43 PM
The speed of light visualized on a world map.
Credit: Dr James O'Donoghue
Credit: Dr James O'Donoghue
I'm loving the audio version of @vermontgmg.bsky.social 's oral history of D-Day, "When the Sea Came Alive" and am curious about the narrators. Anyone know where a full cast list, who read whom, can be found?
November 5, 2025 at 2:18 PM
I'm loving the audio version of @vermontgmg.bsky.social 's oral history of D-Day, "When the Sea Came Alive" and am curious about the narrators. Anyone know where a full cast list, who read whom, can be found?
Reposted by Conrad Z. Risher
When I worked in WaPo Opinions in 2017-2018, senior editors specifically told junior editors not to factcheck Marc Thiessen and other MAGA columnists, otherwise they wouldn’t be able to publish anything by them at all, and “we need them for intellectual diversity.”
It’s very telling that opening your publication to MAGA “thought” requires a massive downgrade in quality control.
October 30, 2025 at 10:38 PM
When I worked in WaPo Opinions in 2017-2018, senior editors specifically told junior editors not to factcheck Marc Thiessen and other MAGA columnists, otherwise they wouldn’t be able to publish anything by them at all, and “we need them for intellectual diversity.”
Reposted by Conrad Z. Risher
We literally do disagree about this, though. Some politicians want to take food from children and some politicians don't. Pretending this "isn't political" just allows the child-starving ghouls to get away with it.
Tell people who supports the *political program* to feed children and who doesn't!
Tell people who supports the *political program* to feed children and who doesn't!
October 30, 2025 at 11:24 AM
We literally do disagree about this, though. Some politicians want to take food from children and some politicians don't. Pretending this "isn't political" just allows the child-starving ghouls to get away with it.
Tell people who supports the *political program* to feed children and who doesn't!
Tell people who supports the *political program* to feed children and who doesn't!
Reposted by Conrad Z. Risher
ICE followed the mother into a school and aggressively detained her along with her children.
This is so heartbreaking 💔
This is so heartbreaking 💔
October 27, 2025 at 11:33 PM
ICE followed the mother into a school and aggressively detained her along with her children.
This is so heartbreaking 💔
This is so heartbreaking 💔
Reposted by Conrad Z. Risher
Has Mike Johnson ever considered holding his daily presser an hour later to give him time to read a paper?
Q: What's your reaction to yesterday's purge of senior ICE officials? When is it time for Congress to do some oversight?
MIKE JOHNSON: I don't know any of the details of that yet. I just heard about that, literally I was walking in.
MIKE JOHNSON: I don't know any of the details of that yet. I just heard about that, literally I was walking in.
October 28, 2025 at 2:50 PM
Has Mike Johnson ever considered holding his daily presser an hour later to give him time to read a paper?
Reposted by Conrad Z. Risher
Reposted by Conrad Z. Risher
A couple of weeks ago, Trump struggled with a broken umbrella as he boarded Air Force One.
Let me tell you how we got to this point — and the tragic downfall of the noble umbrella. 🧵
Let me tell you how we got to this point — and the tragic downfall of the noble umbrella. 🧵
October 23, 2025 at 9:51 PM
A couple of weeks ago, Trump struggled with a broken umbrella as he boarded Air Force One.
Let me tell you how we got to this point — and the tragic downfall of the noble umbrella. 🧵
Let me tell you how we got to this point — and the tragic downfall of the noble umbrella. 🧵
Reposted by Conrad Z. Risher
Speaker of the House holding a formal presser to announce that Jesus is the king of everyone in the USA should be getting more attention
Chip Roy: "The truth is the marxist, radicals, and Islamists the Democratic Party promoted this weekend, they cannot handle the truth. The truth is that there is a king and that king is Jesus. And the president has been willing to say it, & Charlie Kirk was willing to say it & he got killed for it."
October 20, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Speaker of the House holding a formal presser to announce that Jesus is the king of everyone in the USA should be getting more attention
Reposted by Conrad Z. Risher
"New Far Side comics" was definitely not on my bingo card for this week. They're not bad!
www.thefarside.com/new-stuff/
www.thefarside.com/new-stuff/
October 16, 2025 at 6:58 PM
"New Far Side comics" was definitely not on my bingo card for this week. They're not bad!
www.thefarside.com/new-stuff/
www.thefarside.com/new-stuff/
Reposted by Conrad Z. Risher
Personal gripe: the whole saying is "A few bad apples SPOIL THE BUNCH." Somehow this has transformed into "a few bad apples" being a phrase indicating "not a big deal", when the whole point is it IS a big deal because EVERYONE HAS GONE BAD THROUGH EXPOSURE
Q: Politico reported on a group chat of young Republicans. Does this just reflect some bad apples?
HOCHUL: Some bad apples? These are the future of the GOP. This is so vile it's hard to find the words to put into context ... there's gotta be consequences ... this bullshit has to stop.
HOCHUL: Some bad apples? These are the future of the GOP. This is so vile it's hard to find the words to put into context ... there's gotta be consequences ... this bullshit has to stop.
October 14, 2025 at 11:45 PM
Personal gripe: the whole saying is "A few bad apples SPOIL THE BUNCH." Somehow this has transformed into "a few bad apples" being a phrase indicating "not a big deal", when the whole point is it IS a big deal because EVERYONE HAS GONE BAD THROUGH EXPOSURE
Reposted by Conrad Z. Risher
I don’t think you can “abuse” your right to protest
Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson's full statement, in which she says she will sign an EO permitting protest "only at the safety zone located at the ICE facility on Beach Street," is up on the village's website.
"There are too many protesters abusing their right to protest," Thompson says.
"There are too many protesters abusing their right to protest," Thompson says.
October 13, 2025 at 10:08 PM
I don’t think you can “abuse” your right to protest
Reposted by Conrad Z. Risher
Incredible.
Jack Posobiec references the earliest version of antifa -- the anti-fascists in the Weimar Republic who were opposed to the Nazi Party -- as the bad guys.
Jack Posobiec references the earliest version of antifa -- the anti-fascists in the Weimar Republic who were opposed to the Nazi Party -- as the bad guys.
October 8, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Incredible.
Jack Posobiec references the earliest version of antifa -- the anti-fascists in the Weimar Republic who were opposed to the Nazi Party -- as the bad guys.
Jack Posobiec references the earliest version of antifa -- the anti-fascists in the Weimar Republic who were opposed to the Nazi Party -- as the bad guys.
Reposted by Conrad Z. Risher
ICE just blatantly violated the law and arrested sitting Chicago Alderperson Jessie Fuentes while seeking to illegally arrest a patient in a hospital. Fuck these fascists.
October 3, 2025 at 7:19 PM
ICE just blatantly violated the law and arrested sitting Chicago Alderperson Jessie Fuentes while seeking to illegally arrest a patient in a hospital. Fuck these fascists.