Ali Grotkowski
@alikira.bsky.social
Information Professional, Parent, Librarian, Kiwanian, Writer, Board Gamer, Geek, Contest Entrant and more! She/Her
I published a weeding explainer a couple of years ago, with @lisagiven.bsky.social. Remember, "weeding a book is not censoring a book." Feel free to share if it helps. theconversation.com/librarians-h...
Librarians have good reasons to ‘weed’ books from their shelves. Why is book removal so controversial?
Yes, books are at the heart of libraries. However, books are not the only things that matter in libraries.
theconversation.com
carolyn@papersquared.bsky.social · 5d agoLibraries tossing out weeded titles is not a travesty. 🧵 1. libraries MUST weed. We don't have magic shelves with unlimited space. 2. we do try to find alternatives to recycling. Book sales, free tables, and places like Better World Books get the majority of weeded titles. 1/3
@GoogleMaps leadership should be ashamed. They caved to Trump’s tantrum and have renamed Lake Ontario. I guess the @Google G logo stands for gutless. Kudos to @mapquest.com for showing some backbone.
I’ve heard from many concerned constituents about the Memorial Organ at the U of A, I agree with them. The organ should remain in Edmonton, in Convocation Hall, as a place of pride and remembrance. uniteforthepipes.wordpress.com/2026/08/26/u...) uniteforthepipes.wordpress.com/2026/08/26/u...
U of A sells $3M memorial for $1 and a handshake
The Arts Building (1915). Within lies Convocation Hall and the Memorial Organ. On Tuesday, the University of Alberta announced it has given away a $3M war memorial for $1 and a handshake. We take i…
uniteforthepipes.wordpress.com
My issue is that Hope Mission is a Christian org. that pushes its religious beliefs on vulnerable people, including faith-based programming as part of its in-house recovery programs. Vulnerable people should be able to access essential supports without religion attached. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
City council approves rezoning for Hope Mission shelter in south Edmonton | CBC News
Edmonton city council has given Hope Mission permission to rezone its building near Argyll Road and 75th Street, allowing for a new 24/7 homeless shelter with 120 beds.
cbc.ca
In support of Lake Ontario we have made our song I AM NOT AMERICAN available as a free download. Thank you for your attention to this matter. arrogantworms1.bandcamp.com/track/i-am-n...
I Am Not American, by Arrogant Worms
from the album Toast
arrogantworms1.bandcamp.com
I'd like to see more of my country, indeed. And spend more time visiting some of the places I've already seen.
JD, you can’t eat comics.@lostcity.bsky.social · 2w agoThis makes it look like I’ve been more places in Canada than I have. I’ve only been to Manitoba and Quebec for comic conventions, which doesn’t give you a lot of time to look around. And I’ve only been as far north as Prince George/ Prince Rupert, which are halfway up BC.
“… attacks on trans women athletes are not about protecting cisgender women at all.” www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/baske...
What’s really behind the transgender participation debate? People who are afraid of women’s sports
The WNBA represents freedom, inclusivity and power for numerous types of women. To some, that’s a threatening thing
theglobeandmail.com
When people talk about “the greatest athlete of all time” what they really mean is “except for Terry Fox, who ran a marathon a day until he couldn’t, to raise money for cancer research. terryfox.org
Terry Fox Foundation - Support Cancer Research
Terry Fox started a marathon against cancer. Together, we can finish it.
terryfox.org
Kate Armstrong@brainchain.ca · 2w agoAlso - please join me if you will in flooding Bluesky with Canadian culture. Music, art, film, TV. Let’s show the vibrancy of this place I’m proud to call home.
Casual reminder that the myth of “pulling yourself up by your bootstraps” is a cruel hoax designed to convince poor people from all walks of life that the injustices they face are a result of their own actions, rather than an oppressive system rigged against them.
Librarian here to add that policing the definition of reading is verrrry passé.
Aparna Nair@disabilitystor1.bsky.social · 3w agoI am indeed a professor. I read ugh, theory. I read a lot of history; articles and books. Its because the stuff I read for work is so dark, and intense that I need something to change the gears. So hell yes, I read absolutely trashy romance novels, and I read smut. We can do it all, I believe.
Omg it’s finally here! It was a career highlight to be able to spend my time making something like this! It came at a point when I was feeling very burnt out and it this was a project that breathed life into me again. I am so grateful to Cartoon Network for this opportunity youtu.be/IarVMeWtFVU?...
Unravel | Cartoon Cartoons
YouTube video by Warner Bros. TV
youtu.be
Felicia Day and I are getting the band back together for a new show about the games (and some other things) we love, and you can help make it happen.
felicia day and i want to play more games together
About twenty years ago, when I was in the Saturday show at the ACME Comedy Theatre, a friend of mine who I wrote with for the show encouraged me to check out one of her students who was in the Sunday show. I remembered when she and I were in...
wilwheaton.net
I actually updated my blog? www.alikira.com/2026/08/14/i...
It is a rather odd year… - Ali Kira
And I say that not just because it is the rainiest summer ever where I live. I honestly feel like this has been a pretty lovely year on the whole, but there's been so many unexpected adventures in my ...
alikira.com
“Here’s what we found: Every additional 100kg of vehicle weight was associated with a 6% increase in odds of pedestrian fatality. Every additional 10cm of height was associated with an 11% increase in odds of pedestrian fatality. The relationship was even stronger in lower-speed environments.”
Big US-style trucks are killing more pedestrians in Australia – our research proves it
Pedestrians are more likely to be killed by heavier cars – and even more so if the vehicle is taller, Australian-first research has found.
theconversation.com
We are launching one of the largest and most comprehensive collections of 2SLGBTQI+ children’s picture books in the world at the IBBY International Congress this week in Ottawa. xtramagazine.com/power/activi...
Canadian senator debuts largest queer picture-book collection in the world | Xtra Magazine
Alberta senator Kristopher Wells partnered with IBBY Canada to launch a publicly available collection of more than 300 LGBTQ2S+ picture books
xtramagazine.com
Hear, hear‼️ Health misinformation erodes autonomy‼️ Vaccine mis- and disinformation isn’t just a threat to public health, but also to our autonomy theconversation.com/vaccine-mis-... "If we value autonomy for what it really means ... we must take action to address mis- and disinformation."
Vaccine mis- and disinformation isn’t just a threat to public health, but also to our autonomy
When we are mis- or disinformed, it is difficult to act with autonomy. We may make decisions that do not align with our beliefs, even when we seem to be acting voluntarily.
theconversation.com
Freedom of speech does not mean freedom to hate. Hate speech is never free and should always be held to the highest consequences. Don’t minimize. Educate. Hate has no place in Alberta or Canada.
Hold on to your butts as @cattifer.bsky.social takes us on a deep dive into her colonoscopy prep! This pain-in-the-ass procedure could very well save your life, no shit. www.ohjoysextoy.com/adventures-i...
lol, no, thank unions. Capital would work you 24/7 in a coalmine starting at the ripe old age of 7 if they were allowed to. Every ounce of leisure time working people have is because workers organized.
It’s time, it’s finally time..! Come and celebrate the final book of the long-running webcomic, Widdershins, with its final Kickstarter! Victorian-era wizardry awaits in a series of fast-paced, goofy stories, brimming with heart and adventure! www.kickstarter.com/projects/kat... #comics #webcomics
Widdershins: Close to Home
Victorian-era magic and adventure, in the FINAL printed volume of the webcomic Widdershins!
kickstarter.com
Have you taken the survey yet? It's been really cool to follow the results year to year
Gender Census@gendercensus.bsky.social · 2mo agoThe 13th annual international Gender Census 2026 is now open until at least 13th August 2026! survey.gendercensus.com It's for anyone whose gender (or lack thereof) isn't described by the M/F binary. It's short and easy, and results are useful in academia, business and self-advocacy. #LGBTQ
Incredibly tone deaf. Maybe @TimHortons should instead come out with a Pride Timbit to celebrate our real Canadian values. I stand ready to help with the product launch! 🌈🍩 www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Critics slam Tim Hortons Harry Potter promotion as anti-2SLGBTQ+ | CBC News
Tim Hortons has announced a new Harry Potter promotion, but the reaction online has been anything but magical.
cbc.ca
Cheryl Reeve, winningest coach in WNBA history, defends transgender athletes against sports bans. “Exclusion is never the answer. Separate isn’t equal. Trans lives matter.” 💗🏳️⚧️💗🏀💗
Hate will never win over love. An attack on Pride is an attack on our inclusive democracy. We will continue to dance and celebrate love and inclusion in memory and defiance.
Albertans are clearly elbows up rather than bottoms up when it comes to American booze!
Max Fawcett@maxfawcett.bsky.social · last mo.Alberta hasn't banned US alcohol imports. People here aren't buying it anyways. The debate over whether provincial governments should be banning it misses the actual point, which is that Canadians don't want to buy it in the first place. #cdnpoli
