i got a new shirt

Details of celebration of life for Mike

Yeah I actually hate ai *and* capitalism. I can do both.

Guys will listen to male influencer bullshit about needing to have a six pack and manipulate everyone and meanwhile women will go “you know who is the sexiest fucking guy I’ve ever seen?” and post this

Worth remembering WestJet got bought out by -- say it with me -- private equity, and quickly went to the bottom of the pile in terms of customer satisfaction. Least legroom in the industry, baby!

Mary Gillis@marygillis.bsky.social · 2d ago

If capitalism wasn't so stupid, the CEO and entire c-suite of WestJet would be fired for this. Anyone with half a brain could've told them that playing chicken with the flight attendants was a bad idea, since Air Canada tried this exact same thing last year and lost.

Open Letter: Stop the Uncritical Adoption of AI Technologies in Academia It's been a year & people tell me they've changed their mind, feel safer now to sign, etc. So I'm sharing it again for them. We're almost at 2k & anybody from anywhere can add their names. openletter.earth/open-letter-...

While it certainly wasn't the only factor, collective covid measures followed by a summer of major uprisings are a reminder of how terrified the gentry are of people realizing they can act and work together. They're pushing hard to erase the memory of that entire time period for a reason.

Dave Andress@davidandress.bsky.social · 4d ago

Covid lockdowns demonstrated, in a deeply imperfect way, the possibility of large-scale social solidarity for a higher cause. That is a prime reason why so many powerful people want us to run screaming away from them into the comforting arms of selfish individualist competition.

It is funny that as more people get duped by AI, the response more frequently seems to be to insist that the models are developing godlike intelligence and we all need to be sooo careful when the real lesson is clearly that the human psyche can get absolutely one-shotted by personalized flattery

What I hate about COVID downplayers is… you won okay. In the aftermath of humanity coming together to develop the most crucial vaccines of our lifetime & collectively sacrificing to save lives, we are now less safe, less vaccinated & less empathetic than ever. You won ok. Lay down your swords.

I bring this up a lot with regard to why I hate "Share the Road" signs and would prefer "Bike May Use Full Lane" or "Drivers Give 4 Feet When Passing" type signs. Both of those reinforce the legal right of bicyclists to be on the road and in the case of the second, instruct drivers how to behave.

Jeremy Cole@jeremycole.bsky.social · 6d ago

Also the fact that drivers assume, violently, that “share the road” signs mean that bike riders should “share” the road with cars (ie get out of the way) rather than the sign being directed at car drivers.

"A study done in Phoenix done by Arizona State University found data centres can increase air temperatures by up to 4 degrees Fahrenheit in downwind neighbourhoods. The waste heat given off by one data centre as it cooled itself exceeded the amount produced by 40,000 households."

CNN@cnn.com · 6d ago

New research suggests data centers have an alarming and overlooked environmental impact: heat pollution. CNN's Laura Paddison reports.

“ADHD is a myth because ADHD is a social construct, and social constructs aren’t real,” I scream to the masses in an attempt to garner money and attention, which are both social constructs. I am very smart.

Scott Bryan@scottygb.bsky.social · last wk.

Channel 4 has announced documentary “The Great ADHD Myth?” It “seeks to determine whether ADHD is a genuine neurodevelopmental disorder, or a social construct.”

it also creates an almost neurotic anxiety in certain thinkers. you have committed yourself to natural=good+inevitable. so you must absolutely never admit any crumb of the natural into your analysis, or you might give away your entire political project in the process. this creates vulnerabilities.

An great example of a comment sent to Amnesty International

scott dagostino@scottdagostino.ca · 6d ago

“I am shocked and horrified by your capitulation to JK Rowling. Transgender people are enduring vicious discrimination worldwide, promoted and even funded by this author, and instead of defending human rights — YOUR PURPOSE — you have backed away from people in need with this sniveling apology.” ✉️

The organization defending human rights has CAVED on defending human rights. This is so impossibly BLEAK. Their website has a “we want to hear from you” form I’ll be using 😡

Lee Hurley@hleehurley.com · 6d ago

Amnesty have issued an apology to JK Rowling and the rest. Adjust your expectations, and donations, accordingly www.amnesty.org.uk/latest/an-ap...

This post is about the neurospicy but applies equally to transfolk (and a practically limitless list of others)

Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò@olufemiotaiwo.bsky.social · 6d ago

your apartment, the sport of basketball, and the Republic of Korea are all social constructs. mere recognition of this fact does not actually make the question of whether you are standing in your own apartment, playing basketball, or a Korean national up in the air until settled by op ed editors

your apartment, the sport of basketball, and the Republic of Korea are all social constructs. mere recognition of this fact does not actually make the question of whether you are standing in your own apartment, playing basketball, or a Korean national up in the air until settled by op ed editors

New from @ntusikov.bsky.social and me, in which we argue that Bill C-34 and its "duty to act responsibly" simply isn't capable of dealing with the bad actors that comprise Big Tech. policyoptions.irpp.org/2026/07/bill...

Canada can’t regulate Big Tech by trusting Big Tech

Bill C-34 puts too much faith in Big Tech. Canada should regulate the algorithms, data practices and business models that drive online harm.

policyoptions.irpp.org

Ridiculously kind-worded piffle from this award-winning writer.

Owen Booth@owenbooth.bsky.social · 7d ago

You will, of course, already have your copy of this lovely thing from @hookland.bsky.social - but if by any chance *you haven’t* then you need to sort that out right away. I would happily give up whatever remnants of a literary career i have left to read another nine volumes of this instead…

That’s certainly one way to frame it

I don't think we're "failing students" by not teaching them to use the brain-eating cheating machine "properly." Students are being failed, for sure, but not by lack of proper AI training.

Thank you to all who have shared your condolences about Mike's passing - it is overwhelming. There will be a celebration of life for Mike on August 9 at Dogwood Pavilion in Coquitlam - and a livestream to ensure all who were touched by him may come should they wish. More details later. Sylvia

Hi, I'm Brad Bradford. I'm running for mayor because Toronto is a terrifying lawless hellscape where crime is higher than ever — no no, don't read the stats on this, listen to your feelings! Be afraid! Be very afraid! Have 1000 more cops! Also if you disagree I am more than willing to say otherwise!

Imagine a hammer,... I don't have any moral or ethical positions on a hammer. Its just a tool. It serves a purpose and gets applied as needed. Now imagine a hammer with an endangered whale bone handle invented exclusively to bludgeon baby seals... I've got opinions about that kind of hammer.

Overnight, a masked bandit broke into our kitchen. Armed with opposable thumbs, he proceeded to sample everything on offer. I’d just visited the farmers market, so the menu was extensive. I can now share a highly specific peer-reviewed list of what this particular raider did & did not enjoy. 🧵

Raccoon's Evil Smile: 'Good, Good'

Alt: Raccoon's Evil Smile: 'Good, Good'

static.klipy.com

Whenever I say that I don't want Mark Carney to harm the environment or attack human rights or kowtow to tech billionaires, a whole bunch of his supporters show up to 1. insult me, 2. accuse me of being a conservative supporter, and 3. nothing else. There is no third thing. 1/

165. Don't brag about being anti-immigration and turning away refugees and international students in exactly the same way Conservatives would. www.ctvnews.ca/politics/art...

PM Carney says government has ‘taken back control’ of immigration

Prime Minister Mark Carney says his government has 'taken back control' of immigration.

ctvnews.ca

I am unbelievably touched that @dropout.tv titled my @dimension20.dropout.tv Adventuring Academy episode “A Duty of Care”

I’m overwhelmed today, but I want to circle back in a while to share the links to everyone & everything I cited. More soon.

A Duty of Care (with Dr. Emily Friedman) - Season 7 - Dropout

Dr. Emily Friedman joins Brennan to discuss the history of actual play and the best gaming system. Content Warning: Misophonia (Crunching) - [throughout 54:37-1:01:03]

watch.dropout.tv

Handy Guide to the death count in The Odyssey. #Homer #epic #film #Nolan

My daughter: “Never date a guy who uses AI. Because he doesn’t understand consent.”