Richard Chirgwin
@rchirgwin.bsky.social
Former tech writer specialising in telecoms and infosec. Still an aspiring guitarist at over 60.
Nothing I do or say is licenced to anyone scraping social media accounts to train AI.
Nothing I do or say is licenced to anyone scraping social media accounts to train AI.
Reposted by Richard Chirgwin
The world’s huge investment in AI relies on some big assumptions.
Can bigger-is-better ‘scaling laws’ keep AI improving forever? History says we can’t be too sure
theconversation.com
November 26, 2025 at 10:30 PM
The world’s huge investment in AI relies on some big assumptions.
Reposted by Richard Chirgwin
"Fixing the main road and infrastructure isn't on their priority list, but taking down a free shop is."
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
Government threatens to shut down 'illegal' street charity
Queensland's transport department has threatened to penalise residents who set up street-side charity cupboards without filling in the requisite paperwork.
www.abc.net.au
November 26, 2025 at 9:52 PM
"Fixing the main road and infrastructure isn't on their priority list, but taking down a free shop is."
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
Brazen corruption keeps getting rewarded. It doesn't help our faith in democracy.
www.smh.com.au/national/wat...
www.smh.com.au/national/wat...
Watchdogs spent millions with security firm linked to Finks bikie gang
The company is tied to the outlaw motorcycle gang partly through its involvement in a controversial security deal on Nauru.
www.smh.com.au
November 26, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Brazen corruption keeps getting rewarded. It doesn't help our faith in democracy.
www.smh.com.au/national/wat...
www.smh.com.au/national/wat...
Reposted by Richard Chirgwin
That book title tho…
The accuracy.
The accuracy.
Cover Reveal!
“The Nerd Reich: Silicon Valley Fascism and the War on Democracy" arrives on August 4, 2026.
How extremist tech billionaires are dismantling democracy to crown themselves as kings—and what we can do about it.
Please pre-order! ➡️ www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Ne...
“The Nerd Reich: Silicon Valley Fascism and the War on Democracy" arrives on August 4, 2026.
How extremist tech billionaires are dismantling democracy to crown themselves as kings—and what we can do about it.
Please pre-order! ➡️ www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Ne...
November 26, 2025 at 8:51 PM
That book title tho…
The accuracy.
The accuracy.
Reposted by Richard Chirgwin
The “debate”.
My @smh @theage cartoon.
My @smh @theage cartoon.
November 26, 2025 at 8:39 PM
The “debate”.
My @smh @theage cartoon.
My @smh @theage cartoon.
I'm absolutely *not* going to put my activist pants on about Gina and Advance. Let her waste money backing a crowd who alienate roughly 90% of Australians. May her, and their, delusions waste money.
Advance is Loserworld writ large. A *real* echo chamber convinced they're just one election away.
Advance is Loserworld writ large. A *real* echo chamber convinced they're just one election away.
November 26, 2025 at 11:06 AM
I'm absolutely *not* going to put my activist pants on about Gina and Advance. Let her waste money backing a crowd who alienate roughly 90% of Australians. May her, and their, delusions waste money.
Advance is Loserworld writ large. A *real* echo chamber convinced they're just one election away.
Advance is Loserworld writ large. A *real* echo chamber convinced they're just one election away.
Reposted by Richard Chirgwin
one of the coolest things about ChatGPT is how you can actually just never use it. you can fill your whole entire life with simply not once using it. it's incredible.
November 25, 2025 at 4:15 PM
one of the coolest things about ChatGPT is how you can actually just never use it. you can fill your whole entire life with simply not once using it. it's incredible.
Reposted by Richard Chirgwin
Insult to injury.
My @smh cartoon.
My @smh cartoon.
November 25, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Insult to injury.
My @smh cartoon.
My @smh cartoon.
Reposted by Richard Chirgwin
I wish I was smart enough to be able to run these figures for Australian numbers. I suspect it would be almost as awful.
This is an insightful but deeply upsetting article about why everyone in the US feels poor, and why the current political situation emerges as a direct result.
www.yesigiveafig.com/p/part-1-my-...
www.yesigiveafig.com/p/part-1-my-...
Part 1: My Life Is a Lie
How a Broken Benchmark Quietly Broke America
www.yesigiveafig.com
November 26, 2025 at 10:30 AM
I wish I was smart enough to be able to run these figures for Australian numbers. I suspect it would be almost as awful.
Reposted by Richard Chirgwin
A lot of people who live in the country believe in climate action. Unlike the National Party, their livelihood is tied to the land, which everyone can see is changing rapidly
November 25, 2025 at 10:37 PM
A lot of people who live in the country believe in climate action. Unlike the National Party, their livelihood is tied to the land, which everyone can see is changing rapidly
Reposted by Richard Chirgwin
Sometimes I think it’s going to be the librarians who will save us all.
November 25, 2025 at 1:47 AM
Sometimes I think it’s going to be the librarians who will save us all.
Reposted by Richard Chirgwin
This isn’t the main point, but occasionally I’m in a different city, have checked out of a hotel, and don’t have my travel home booked til the evening, and it really makes you understand how privatised civic space has become - libraries are often some of the last spaces you can freely spend time…
November 26, 2025 at 7:42 AM
This isn’t the main point, but occasionally I’m in a different city, have checked out of a hotel, and don’t have my travel home booked til the evening, and it really makes you understand how privatised civic space has become - libraries are often some of the last spaces you can freely spend time…
Reposted by Richard Chirgwin
Even if you're an absolute shitcunt who doesn't believe in public services at any level, you should still be mad because that's "your tax dollars."
Fuck every shithead who thinks like this. Fuck 👆 these shitcunts even more because they've got a responsibility to do better but choose to do harm.
Fuck every shithead who thinks like this. Fuck 👆 these shitcunts even more because they've got a responsibility to do better but choose to do harm.
November 26, 2025 at 7:51 AM
Even if you're an absolute shitcunt who doesn't believe in public services at any level, you should still be mad because that's "your tax dollars."
Fuck every shithead who thinks like this. Fuck 👆 these shitcunts even more because they've got a responsibility to do better but choose to do harm.
Fuck every shithead who thinks like this. Fuck 👆 these shitcunts even more because they've got a responsibility to do better but choose to do harm.
Reposted by Richard Chirgwin
NSW RFS operational update
As of 6:00pm, Wednesday 26
November, there are 69 fires burning across NSW, with 26 yet to be contained. More than 1000 firefighters and incident management personnel are working in difficult conditions to strengthen containment lines and bring the fires under control.
As of 6:00pm, Wednesday 26
November, there are 69 fires burning across NSW, with 26 yet to be contained. More than 1000 firefighters and incident management personnel are working in difficult conditions to strengthen containment lines and bring the fires under control.
November 26, 2025 at 7:47 AM
NSW RFS operational update
As of 6:00pm, Wednesday 26
November, there are 69 fires burning across NSW, with 26 yet to be contained. More than 1000 firefighters and incident management personnel are working in difficult conditions to strengthen containment lines and bring the fires under control.
As of 6:00pm, Wednesday 26
November, there are 69 fires burning across NSW, with 26 yet to be contained. More than 1000 firefighters and incident management personnel are working in difficult conditions to strengthen containment lines and bring the fires under control.
Reposted by Richard Chirgwin
Gangnam Style or the Hoochie Coochie would work well.
November 26, 2025 at 7:46 AM
Gangnam Style or the Hoochie Coochie would work well.
The world has developed a convention, that it's somehow bad form to drop the "cancer optimism" voice, even in obituaries.
The grinning grief police are, at bottom, really nasty people.
The grinning grief police are, at bottom, really nasty people.
November 26, 2025 at 7:51 AM
The world has developed a convention, that it's somehow bad form to drop the "cancer optimism" voice, even in obituaries.
The grinning grief police are, at bottom, really nasty people.
The grinning grief police are, at bottom, really nasty people.
I love real estate billionaires lecturing the country about digital literacy.
www.afr.com/opinion/aust...
www.afr.com/opinion/aust...
Australia’s productivity revival starts with a laptop, not a bulldozer
Australia must take a few big moves. That includes lifting basic digital literacy in schools so every student meets the standard, and a national digital and AI skills compact.
www.afr.com
November 26, 2025 at 7:37 AM
I love real estate billionaires lecturing the country about digital literacy.
www.afr.com/opinion/aust...
www.afr.com/opinion/aust...
Reposted by Richard Chirgwin
This is very awesome. Mohamed Semra is now the Mayor of Maribyrnong
Need a good news story?
Mohamed Semra, 10 years ago was pulled up outside an Apple Store, because "he might steal something".
He's a Sudanese refugee, aged 27, who is now Mayor of Maribynong, Melbourne, where the Apple Store resides […]
Mohamed Semra, 10 years ago was pulled up outside an Apple Store, because "he might steal something".
He's a Sudanese refugee, aged 27, who is now Mayor of Maribynong, Melbourne, where the Apple Store resides […]
Original post on mastodon.social
mastodon.social
November 26, 2025 at 6:37 AM
This is very awesome. Mohamed Semra is now the Mayor of Maribyrnong
Reposted by Richard Chirgwin
"The Australian government has at all times known that the current Nauruan president and key members of his government are seriously corrupt, and they still signed a $2.5 billion deal with him."
Greens senator David Shoebridge reads what he alleges to be extracts from a secret AUSTRAC report that has not been made public, in the Senate late on Tuesday.
Labor accused of turning blind eye to Nauru corruption allegations
Greens senator David Shoebridge reads what he alleges to be extracts from a secret AUSTRAC report that has not been made public, in the Senate late on Tuesday.
www.abc.net.au
November 26, 2025 at 6:15 AM
"The Australian government has at all times known that the current Nauruan president and key members of his government are seriously corrupt, and they still signed a $2.5 billion deal with him."
Reposted by Richard Chirgwin
"If your country opens a Department of War and closes the Department of Education then you live in a shithole."
-𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝟿𝟾%
-𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝟿𝟾%
November 25, 2025 at 9:57 AM
"If your country opens a Department of War and closes the Department of Education then you live in a shithole."
-𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝟿𝟾%
-𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝟿𝟾%
Reposted by Richard Chirgwin
New Australia Institute research has analysed the philanthropic donations of Australia’s 20 largest publicly listed companies.
Read more: australiainstitute.org.au/post/dubious...
Read more: australiainstitute.org.au/post/dubious...
November 26, 2025 at 2:06 AM
New Australia Institute research has analysed the philanthropic donations of Australia’s 20 largest publicly listed companies.
Read more: australiainstitute.org.au/post/dubious...
Read more: australiainstitute.org.au/post/dubious...
Reposted by Richard Chirgwin
So Labor and the Liberals teamed up to pass legislation to give police the power to recommend cancellation of Centrelink payments of people who have not been found guilty of a crime by a court of law. It’s discriminatory financial punishment of people in poverty who are already over-policed
November 26, 2025 at 1:36 AM
So Labor and the Liberals teamed up to pass legislation to give police the power to recommend cancellation of Centrelink payments of people who have not been found guilty of a crime by a court of law. It’s discriminatory financial punishment of people in poverty who are already over-policed
Reposted by Richard Chirgwin
Google's parliament house passes are sponsored by Liberal MPs.
November 26, 2025 at 1:42 AM
Google's parliament house passes are sponsored by Liberal MPs.
Reposted by Richard Chirgwin
Report confirms what First Nations people have been saying for years — something is wrong with Darling Baaka River
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
The river is life for these remote communities, but no-one will swim in it
For months, people in remote Indigenous communities have been reporting skin rashes after going in the water, and a report confirms something is wrong with the river.
www.abc.net.au
November 26, 2025 at 12:54 AM
Report confirms what First Nations people have been saying for years — something is wrong with Darling Baaka River
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...