Nostr notes by David Megginson

Even assuming regulatory approval, I wonder where one would drive ...

2026-10-25T16:35:01Z

In reply to nevent1q…hlql
_________________________

Even assuming regulatory approval, I wonder where one would drive a flying car, without worrying about (say) a fender bender that could cause $20K in damage to the fragile flight systems.

I'm not sure I'd want to take on on the highway in rush hour, or park one in the mall parking lot during the Christmas season, for example. I'd have nightmares about a runway shopping cart.

My harvest centrepiece for last night's family Thanksgiving ...

2026-10-13T13:53:13Z

My harvest centrepiece for last night's family Thanksgiving dinner, all from the garden.

#gardening #ottawa #thanksgiving

I agree that genAI has real value as a research tool for ...

2026-10-13T01:20:24Z

In reply to nevent1q…6jj6
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I agree that genAI has real value as a research tool for summarising thousands of posts, research pages, medical records, etc. in a natural language format as a first step for **HUMAN** researchers to follow up on, and allowing the results to be interrogated conversationally .

Drafting business letters, source code, fanfic, or Smurf porn? Not so much.

It's interesting watching fedizens publicly talk themselves ...

2026-10-12T16:34:38Z

It's interesting watching fedizens publicly talk themselves into using genAI in work (when they're not forced to) while still trying to get credit for a principled stand against it.

Life's complicated. I get that. But you have to choose. If you start voluntarily using genAI, you don't also get anti-genAI points.

#genAI

First ever butternut squash: many more to come. I've included ...

2026-09-20T17:21:02Z

First ever butternut squash: many more to come. I've included my largest teapot (6 cups / 1.5 litres) for size comparison.

#squash #gardening #ottawa

When software companies prioritise hiring all "rock ...

2026-09-15T19:26:29Z

When software companies prioritise hiring all "rock stars" or "10× coders" over diversity, they often end up building the wrong thing — but that's OK, because they're fast enough to keep iterating and building the wrong thing over again. 😕

Moral: don't hire 2,000 people with the same CV.

#DEI #Diversity #tech

I missed the news story a week ago about the Defense Secretary of ...

2026-09-05T14:19:39Z

I missed the news story a week ago about the Defense Secretary of the "world's greatest superpower" taking time from their war against Iran to go on social media and body-shame girls participating in a 12-18 year old Canadian Army Cadets programme.

I know *technically* he's an adult human being, but he's raising a lot of doubts about both those things.

#USpolitics #Canada #misogyny

Also worth noting that New York State has not accepted the U.S. ...

2026-09-02T16:16:12Z

In reply to nevent1q…ltlh
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Also worth noting that New York State has *not* accepted the U.S. federal government's name change, and is in no way obliged to, so I expect their road signs, location names, etc. etc. will continue to read "Lake Ontario."

We should treat the U.S. side of the lake as our allies, not our enemies.

#CanadaUS #LakeOntario #geography

So according to news stories, MapQuest insists on showing the ...

2026-09-02T16:12:09Z

So according to news stories, MapQuest insists on showing the correct name for Lake Ontario on its maps, even for U.S. users, and that has catapulted it past Google and Apple Maps to the top spot for downloads in the Navigation category in major app stores.<li>MapQuest still exists 30 years later? Who knew?</li><li>Good on 'em.</li><li>It's tough even for OSM to compete (I think they show the wrong name to users with the en-US locale, because they're bound by standard global policies).</li>

#LakeOntario #maps #geography

It's humbling to think that each of these tiny seeds has the ...

2026-09-01T00:41:40Z

It's humbling to think that each of these tiny seeds has the potential to grow into 2.2 m (7 ft) tall vine like the ones I harvested them from.

Type: Sweetie tomatoes (indeterminate)

#gardening #Ottawa #tomatoes

On the day Canada finally walked away from so-called "trade ...

2026-08-22T20:43:30Z

On the day Canada finally walked away from so-called "trade talks" with our dysfunctional southern neighbour, I'm celebrating with a very local tomato sauce. Everything here (except 1 tsp of salt) grew within 20m of the pot.

#gardening #Ottawa #CanadaStrong #food

The squirrels dug up this Huechera (Coral Bell) 3× and left it ...

2026-08-18T13:08:24Z

The squirrels dug up this Huechera (Coral Bell) 3× and left it for dead, a tiny, shrivelled-up thing. I've been nursing it back health on my windowsill with a custom soil mixture, and I think it's time to put it back outside so that it has time to build deep roots before winter. 🤞 (I will put chicken wire around it.)

#gardening #perennials #Ottawa

I've had a great time at the family cottage, but when ...

2026-08-11T20:46:23Z

I've had a great time at the family cottage, but when we're talking about the best things in life, put these near the top of the list<li>unlimited running, potable water</li><li>connection to a municipal sewage system</li>

#gratitude #WASH #water #sanitation

I'm disappointed in Tim Hortons for running a major Harry ...

2026-07-28T17:28:13Z

I'm disappointed in Tim Hortons for running a major Harry Potter sponsorship promotion with J.K. Rowling.

It's a deep betrayal of their trans customers, employees, and the whole Canadian trans community. If you buy anything at Tims, you will be helping to fund Rowling's anti-trans foundation, in which she's invested millions.

"TERF Hortons," indeed.

#transphobia #TimHortons #Canada

I have two zucchini plants. My 5th and 6th fruits are growing now ...

2026-07-24T22:42:01Z

I have two zucchini plants. My 5th and 6th fruits are growing now (I've harvested 4 zucchini already), and one of those will be ready in a day or two.

After years of false starts, I think I finally have the hang of this zucchini thing.

Now, lets see if I have similar luck with my butternut squash: the vines are approaching 3m/10ft long, so if they don't fruit, it won't be for lack of trying.

#gardening #squash #zucchini #ottawa

FWIW, Mussolini didn't "make the trains run on time." ...

2026-07-10T12:08:26Z

FWIW, Mussolini didn't "make the trains run on time." He just ordered the Italian press to *write* that the trains were running on time.

That's how authoritarianism works. Fascist sympathisers in other countries fell for it.

#authoritarianism #hegemony #history #Italy

"It wasn't me!" OK, so I guess the mystery of the ...

2026-06-29T21:52:09Z

"It wasn't me!"

OK, so I guess the mystery of the missing beet leaves and dill will remain unsolved. 🤷

#gardening #Ottawa #rabbits

Nostr event nevent1qqsdwv2598a4q700326tu5vkzj2qsez3q30l6r4sw7crf0sgusmqxkczyr5ajr7l82wcy9ldc0hs8wn0za2fkaflm7r8zlplgskcdaayd7wgqxyjeeq

2026-06-29T19:17:36Z

Head-to-head comparison videos are the hobgoblin of small minds.

My five butternut squash plants are starting to vine, and the ...

2026-06-22T21:52:48Z

My five butternut squash plants are starting to vine, and the buds for the early (male) blossoms are visible.

This is my first time growing butternut squash, but apparently the vines can grow 2–3m long (!!!)

#gardening #squash #Ottawa

Me interesa la competición misma, pero la combinación de la ...

2026-06-12T16:13:46Z

In reply to nevent1q…ze5u
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Me interesa la competición misma, pero la combinación de la FIFA y Estados Unidos es bastante tóxica.

Reminder: if you're a secondary-school teacher, and want to ...

2026-06-11T02:04:53Z

Reminder: if you're a secondary-school teacher, and want to give your students a hands-on activity for learning logarithms, my site

https://cardboard-computer.org/

is free (libre and gratuit) and has no ads, analytics, or tracking cookies. You can download templates to build your own sliderule, and there are instructions and interactive exercises for using it.

(Tell them it's a steampunk calculator.)

#slideRules #teaching #math

Probably the weirdest thing that happened during my tech career ...

2026-06-10T02:54:51Z

Probably the weirdest thing that happened during my tech career was seeing Linux become the world's most-popular consumer OS (via Android), far outpacing commercial OS's from Microsoft and Apple.

30+ years ago, we all dreamed of something like that happening, but I doubt many of us would have bet much money on it.

#Linux #Android #technology

Fare ye well! 😢 #gardening #Ottawa ...

2026-05-27T16:17:21Z

Fare ye well! 😢

#gardening #Ottawa

The actual garden yesterday. In a few weeks, the tomatoes will ...

2026-05-22T11:46:31Z

In reply to nevent1q…8mpq
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The actual garden yesterday. In a few weeks, the tomatoes will high enough to block the chain-link fence.

#gardening #Ottawa

Here's a schematic for the Accessible garden, which I built ...

2026-05-20T19:57:31Z

In reply to nevent1q…63gz
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Here's a schematic for the Accessible garden, which I built in 2024. It's surrounded by 2x6 cedar and raised. The aisles are wide enough to maneuver a wheelchair or walker, and everything is reachable from an edge.

The brown lines represent fences, and the left side is north. Tomatoes and squash go along the narrow bed on the left. The grid is 1 ft² (30x30cm).

#gardening #ottawa #accessibility

The Accessible Garden as of 20 May 2026 From my own preserved ...

2026-05-20T19:42:32Z

**The Accessible Garden as of 20 May 2026**

From my own preserved seeds:<li>tomatoes (mostly indeterminate varieties)</li><li>Italian chilis (the twisty, finger-like ones)</li><li>eggplant</li><li>bell peppers</li><li>dill</li><li>cilantro</li>

From commercial seed packets:<li>butternut squash</li><li>kale</li><li>lettuce</li><li>beets</li><li>zucchini (not sprouted yet)</li><li>basil</li>

From food bulbs:<li>hardneck garlic (planted 2025)</li>

From nursery plants at the farmers' market::<li>parsley</li><li>rosemary</li>

Perennials that came back on their own:<li>oregano</li><li>garlic chives</li><li>sage</li><li>thyme</li>

Volunteers:<li>soft-neck garlic (about 50 plants, which I had to separate)</li><li>spearmint (outside the garden)</li>

Mostly organic+heirloom.

#gardening #ottawa

I just ran into this "garden" at a rental house where I ...

2026-05-19T11:33:33Z

I just ran into this "garden" at a rental house where I was helping plant some tomatoes:<li>Thick, canvas-like tarp</li><li>6–8 in of old, decomposing mulch on top</li><li>Dense, suffocated clay underneath</li><li>Holes cut through the tarp to place a few generic nursery plants with a bit of soil around each one</li>

We had permission to cut holes for the tomatoes and I made a big virtual pot full of compost and soil inside the clay for each one, but it was difficult just to cut through the tarp.

Are there really businesses that do this kind of thing and have the nerve to call themselves "landscaping companies"?

#gardening #landscaping #ecology #Ottawa

But that doesn't mean setting up a website or legislating ...

2026-05-15T02:04:25Z

In reply to nevent1q…58d0
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But that doesn't mean setting up a website or legislating women's bodies. It means paid parental leave, food and shelter security, affordable daycare, universal healthcare, and financial support for post-seconday education.

The right talks the "family values" talk, but the left actually walks the walk by advocating for these things.

Many people don't have kids (for various reasons), but every ...

2026-05-15T01:58:01Z

Many people don't have kids (for various reasons), but every single one of us *was* a kid once.

So making it easier for people to care for kids just seems like the decent thing to do, whatever your own life path looks like.

#PayItForward

The maintenance on an EV is backloaded: the power train is ...

2026-05-06T16:12:22Z

In reply to nevent1q…2kvp
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The maintenance on an EV is backloaded: the power train is simpler, but the extra weight wears out tires and suspension faster, and when the battery degrades, it's a very expensive replacement. You may still end up slightly ahead, though, over the life of a new vehicle

In our case, an EV just doesn't make sense. We live in the urban centre of Ottawa, and drive relatively little: we fill up our 50L tank maybe 1×/month (2× if we make a trip to Kingston or Montreal). The carbon costs of producing our 2013 Mazda 3 have been amortised long ago, and we don't drive enough that an EV would ever catch up, as long as we're able to keep this car roadworthy.

If we were driving every day to commute to work or take kids to sports practices, it might be a different equation.

Tim Bray 🇨🇦 (npub19ua…53cv) John Francis 🇨🇦🦫🍁🫎 (npub1lud…8056) [@virtuous_sloth](https://cosocial.ca/@virtuous_sloth )

I am so ready to put out my tomatoes in a week or two. Beet, ...

2026-04-25T21:43:43Z

I am so ready to put out my tomatoes in a week or two. Beet, dill, cilantro, kale, and lettuce seeds are already in the ground. Chives, green onions, sage, oregano, and thyme are coming back on their own.

The greens in the long narrow tomato bed are softneck summer garlic that I originally planted in 2024 as a pest barrier. It has evolved to endure the Ottawa winter, and now keeps coming up on its own (it's small — sometimes just one clove — but very pungent). You can see a bit of the good hardneck winter garlic in the last bed on the right.

I plan to companion plant butternut squash between the tomatoes.

#gardening #Ottawa #tomatoes

"Late-stage capitalism" is a clever -sounding phrase ...

2026-04-23T11:54:11Z

**"Late-stage capitalism"** is a clever -sounding phrase to drop into a fedipost, but it's nonsense: it implies a deterministic, teleological model of history, moving through known stages towards an inevitable goal.

In reality, each generation just muddles along as best it can, neither moving towards nor away from anything, but just making the best (or worst) of their moment on this planet. 🫤

#history #marxism #capitalism

*p.s. Marxists aren't alone in their fantasising: (liberal) Whig historians have their Myth of Progress, techo-utopians have their triumphalist history of the "Great Men" of Science, and conservative Christian Nationalists have their racist "Great Replacement" theory.*

Eight of my tomato plants, just back from their first field trip ...

2026-04-21T20:04:41Z

Eight of my tomato plants, just back from their first field trip to the backyard for hardening off.

(I grew all of these from seeds I preserved last fall: it's my first time not using seed packets.)

#gardening #ottawa #tomatoes

linked to an article saying > It will have been more than ...

2026-03-21T00:22:24Z

In reply to nevent1q…dax7
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linked to an article saying

> It will have been more than three weeks since the US and Israel first attacked Iran when the first British warship finally arrives off the coast of Cyprus, a belated defensive deployment that has highlighted the lack of military capacity available to the UK.

And meanwhile, the most advanced aircraft carrier in the U.S. Navy was limping back to Crete, defeated by a laundry fire and clogged toilets.

The huge gap between hawkish politicians' chest-thumping rhetoric and the drab, depressing reality on military deployment isn't limited to just the UK.

#nonviolence #military

To me, the noun "professional" when applied to a person ...

2026-03-15T01:09:21Z

To me, the noun "professional" when applied to a person in the creative arts connotes…

#polls #language

They're doing the right thing by giving the testimonials, as ...

2026-03-10T20:55:44Z

In reply to nevent1q…9mwt
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They're doing the right thing by giving the testimonials, as long as they don't turn into a redemption narrative for preaching against vaccination until they were affected personally. 😕

In the end, I wimped out and instead of just thinning, separated ...

2026-03-05T14:23:08Z

In reply to nevent1q…x24p
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In the end, I wimped out and instead of just thinning, separated my tangled seedlings carefully among 4 trays and 4 pots.

Now I have 40 viable Italian finger pepper (twisty chili) seedlings growing and room for max 2–4 chili plants in my garden when the spring comes (unless I abandon everything else), so I'm trying to find other suckers gardeners to take some from me.

I'm make a lousy heartless Greek or Norse god.

#gardening #Ottawa #peppers #chilis

> God-like, he decides > Which sprouts may live, and which ...

2026-03-04T02:59:44Z

> God-like, he decides
> Which sprouts may live, and which must die.

#gardening #poetry #doggerel

Which do you normally say? #language #english #usage

2026-01-10T14:33:04Z

Which do you normally say?

#language #english #usage

What smells make you happy? Choose all that apply, and feel free ...

2025-12-17T17:38:27Z

What smells make you happy? Choose all that apply, and feel free to add more in replies.

#polls #joy

<li>U.S. government secretly cancels foreign ...

2025-11-11T12:37:27Z

<li>U.S. government secretly cancels foreign journalist's visa in the middle of a visit.</li><li>ICE then arrests journalist for being in the country on an expired visa.</li><li>After suffering two weeks of ICE incarceration, journalist agrees to "voluntarily" leave the country.</li>Our southern neighbour is becoming a rogue state, like North Korea or Russia. And they wonder why Canadian tourists aren't coming any more. 😢

#SamiHamdi #USpolitics #ICE

Are you annoyed by non-ligatured "fi" pairs in word ...

2025-10-27T15:48:50Z

Are you annoyed by non-ligatured "fi" pairs in word processors and web typography? If so, feel free to mention why in the comments.

#polls #typography

You're entirely right. What they talk about is 100% unrelated ...

2025-09-19T17:51:11Z

In reply to nevent1q…h64g
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You're entirely right. What they talk about is 100% unrelated to anything I read in the gospels when I was growing up. The teachings there are about supporting the oppressed, being tolerant of differences (religious, ethnic, etc), avoiding performative public prayer, separation of church and state, judging the sexual behaviour of women by the same standards as that of men, and other then-radical social ideas.

That's what made young Rabbi Jesus such a threat to both the Roman and Pharasaic establishments in Roman-occupied Palestine and Judea, until Saul/Paul of Tarsus (a Roman citizen, note) figured out how to co-opt his teachings after his death to invent a new rule-based establishment, as seen in his epistles. 🙁

Yes, I can't help but think their copies of the gospels are ...

2025-09-19T14:17:49Z

In reply to nevent1q…5ry7
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Yes, I can't help but think their copies of the gospels are just for thumping, not reading. If anyone on the far right actually read what's in them, Jesus would lose his FCC license.

#religion #politics

Jon Bosak (npub1673…fx9t)

I'm sorry, @npub15am…hmr6 and @npub1673…fx9t — I know ...

2025-09-19T13:46:51Z

In reply to nevent1q…e3cc
_________________________

I'm sorry, Curt Olson (npub15am…hmr6) and Jon Bosak (npub1673…fx9t) — I know there are many millions of decent, caring Americans, including you — it's just that they don't hold any of the levers of power.

Keep resisting locally with kindness, empathy, and mutual support: they're like a bucket of water to the far right's wicked witch.

Canada has traditionally distinguished itself from the U.S. ...

2025-09-19T13:17:32Z

Canada has traditionally distinguished itself from the U.S. mostly through the [narcissism of small differences](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcissism_of_small_differences ), because our cultures and day-to-day lives weren't really all that distinct

Now that we're diverging sharply — our southern neighbour has become a tinpot dictatorship where most people and orgs with public responsibility are abdicating it to try to anticipate the whims of a vain elderly kleptocrat and head off his wrath — instead of feeling vindicated ("look, we really *are* different!"), we just feel sad and uncomfortable.

Being genuinely different isn't as much fun as being pretend-different. 😢

#Canada #US #USpolitics

"unprecedented warning"?? 🙄 Um, we've known this ...

2025-09-18T11:12:56Z

"unprecedented warning"?? 🙄

Um, we've known this at *least* since 2018, when former PM Trudeau stopped even pretending to care about climate change and started buying pipelines for the tar sands.

#Canada #climateChange #CanPoli #pipelines #environment

#Tomatos off the vine, still warm from the sun, taste like ...

2025-09-02T19:22:51Z

#Tomatos off the vine, still warm from the sun, taste like summer.

That is all I wanted to say.

#gardening

Random advice: If the cilantro in your garden is bolting, ...

2025-08-20T21:21:31Z

**Random advice:** If the cilantro in your garden is bolting, harvest some of the seeds while they're still green. They're juicy, delicious, and pop in your mouth.

They're also something that (AFAIK) you can't buy in stores, so pat yourself on the back for being a gardener. Use them in salads, as a garnish, or however you want.

#advice #gardening #lifeHacks

Even if there weren't a trade dispute with the U.S., I ...

2025-08-19T12:37:03Z

Even if there weren't a trade dispute with the U.S., I don't see why Canada *ever* considered buying the F-35, a limited-range, single engine fighter that has a history of problems operating in cold weather. 🤦‍♂️

As the saying goes, fighter jets just are machines for converting tax dollars into noise and smoke. That was already true in the ICBM age when Dief cancelled the pointless Avro Arrow, and it's even more true in the drone-swarm age now.

Unlike (say) military transport or patrol aircraft, fighters serve little purpose in 2025.

#military #trade #aviation #F35

(This post is for non-Americans.) Folks, it's time to stop ...

2025-08-16T18:59:33Z

(This post is for non-Americans.) Folks, it's time to stop agonising over everything the Americans do, and focus instead on building a world that works without them. Let's accept that we can no longer rely on them for *anything:* trade, global security, aid, medical research, a model of democracy, tech innovation … anything.

Even if the U.S. somehow achieves peaceful democratic transfers of power in 2026 and 2028 — and there are many good Americans fighting hard for that — there''ll be years or decades of cleaning up and rebuilding shattered democratic institutions from the ground up. Write them out of the global script for now and move on.

#USpolitics #trade #war #science

The only solution is to refuse to sell any weapons to Israel, ...

2025-08-08T15:13:16Z

In reply to nevent1q…yslj
_________________________

The *only* solution is to refuse to sell any weapons to Israel, and any weapons or parts to countries who sell weapons to Israel. In fact, I'd boycott all non-humanitarian exports to Israel as long as the genocide continues (that boycott wouldn't include food or medicine, of course).

Big change for optics, but hypocritical and meaningless in ...

2025-08-08T15:11:07Z

In reply to nevent1q…gdmv
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Big change for optics, but hypocritical and meaningless in practical terms.

Even if the IDF fully honours the terms, they can just shift *other* weapons to the Gaza genocide and replace them with the German ones, so the result is the same (except that the bombs actually killing Gazans will no longer say "Hergestellt in Deutschland"). 😕

And selfishness. They don't want anyone else to have the good ...

2025-08-07T14:40:42Z

In reply to nevent1q…jvyh
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And selfishness. They don't want anyone else to have the good fortune they have because their own ancestors immigrated.

In the photo from the Wikipedia article — "The ...

2025-08-07T11:40:47Z

In reply to nevent1q…ttu5
_________________________

In the photo from the Wikipedia article — "The Steerage" (1907) — note the more affluent passengers on the upper deck gawking over the railing at the steerage passengers below as if they were exhibits in a zoo. 😢

If your ancestors migrated from Europe or Asia to North America ...

2025-08-07T11:34:07Z

If your ancestors migrated from Europe or Asia to North America 100+ years ago, odds are that they traveled packed into steerage, with little privacy, poor sanitation, and rampant disease. At least by the early 20th century, (very basic) food and bedding was provided: before that, you had to bring your own, or tough luck.

Be as kind to today's migrants as you hope some people were to your ancestors. Nobody puts themself through this nightmare because they *want* to leave their homes, families, and friends.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steerage

#history #migration #refugees

No disguise needed: the federal Liberal Party has always been ...

2025-07-31T20:53:38Z

In reply to nevent1q…ydqg
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No disguise needed: the federal Liberal Party has *always* been centre-right (the last huge cuts to the public service happened under Chrétein-Martin, and they used aggressive austerity and privatisation to balance the budget, before PM Harper ran up the deficit again). That helps explain why the federal Conservatives veered to the wacko Fox-News-style far right, just to try differentiate themselves somehow.

In Ontario, the PCs wisely held onto the traditional conservative centre-right space, which is why the Ontario Libs are lost in the political wilderness (the NDP already occupies the very slightly left-leaning centre, so the ON Libs can't move either way).

It's also why Premier Ford's cottage invitations go to PM Carney instead of Pierre Poilièvre: they're in the same political space, despite the confusingly-different party labels. 🤷

#CanPoli

Marcia MacDonald (npub1hp7…etwp) Chris Boese (npub1rwf…rcwx)

Interesting -- thanks for sharing! So for the words relating to ...

2025-07-20T22:16:35Z

In reply to nevent1q…26xj
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Interesting -- thanks for sharing!

So for the words relating to "speaking", is the root form in the Dene Tanacross langauge "x..h..", and then you form different persons and tenses by adding syllables between and after them?

Anne Fuller (Sʼaachtlʼéiḵ) (npub146a…5f0t) Olga Lovick (she/her) (npub1vpu…my9f)

#language

Last I heard, it wasn't a case of political neglect. Despite ...

2025-07-10T13:57:23Z

In reply to nevent1q…y9ls
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Last I heard, it wasn't a case of political neglect. Despite the NOAA downsizing nationally (which could have serious long-term effects), the nearest weather offices had temporarily surged their staffing far above normal levels because of the weather alerts, nearby weather balloon launches went out on their old schedules (even though they're down nationally), etc.

My concern is the Dems trying to exploit this for political gain the same way the GOP tried to exploit the California wildfires. Sometimes a tragedy is just a tragedy, not an opportunity to score points against the opposition.

wrote > you posted this twice, is your instance still having ...

2025-06-25T23:18:36Z

In reply to nevent1q…9fes
_________________________

wrote

> you posted this twice, is your instance still having trouble?

Yeah. I'm getting a lot of 502 errors when I try to post today. I guess one post went through, but Mastodon thought it hadn't and left the form open.

#mstdnCa

Lynn D 🇨🇦 (npub1uph…ulz6) Chad :mstdn: (npub170y…28tz)

For Canada, the trick to the (absurd) 5% GDP NATO commitment will ...

2025-06-25T18:04:06Z

For Canada, the trick to the (absurd) 5% GDP NATO commitment will be reclassifying lots of stuff as "military spending".

Canada Border Services? Military spending.

Air Traffic Control? Military spending.

Ice breaking in shipping lanes? Military spending.

Arctic research? Military spending.

Mapping and geo surveys? Military spending.

CSIS? Military spending.

High speed rail? Military spending (infrastructure to move troops quickly).

See if I'm wrong.

#NATO #military #CanPoli

Everything you say is true — education in Ontario is massively ...

2025-05-30T13:56:33Z

In reply to nevent1q…dx72
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Everything you say is true — education in Ontario is massively underfunded, and teachers are overworked and treated unfairly — but it's also true that many/most of those parents were trying to work another full-time job *in addition to* watching and educating their kids.

We can boost teachers without downplaying what parents went through.

Yeah. I get that it's probably just a Realpolitik maneuver in ...

2025-05-21T20:12:45Z

In reply to nevent1q…jl2c
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Yeah. I get that it's probably just a Realpolitik maneuver in a complex political strategy that PM Carney has mapped out, but I'm not a huge fan of that kind of thing.

We have viable third/fourth parties at the national level, and ...

2025-05-14T16:16:10Z

In reply to nevent1q…nepd
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We have viable third/fourth parties at the national level, and usually they get a significant number of seats (even though they don't form a government). This election was an exception, because of the polarising actions of the U.S. president and the perception that the Conservative leader was too closely aligned with him, but even now, PM Carney has to cooperate with them.

Imagine how different U.S. politics would be if a third party held even 5–10 seats in the Senate.

Sad, but not surprising Voters flocked to PM Carney's Liberal ...

2025-05-14T13:55:23Z

In reply to nevent1q…qfus
_________________________

Sad, but not surprising

Voters flocked to PM Carney's Liberal party only because the main alternative, the Conservatives, had chosen a scary leader who reminded them too much of MAGA down in the U.S., with his anti-"woke" rhetoric and flirtations with far-right groups.

I don't think many voters actually believed PM Carney was progressive (at least, I hope they didn't). He's a Goldman Sachs alumnus and a classic free-market economist, after all.

#CanPoli

Every apparently omnipotent politician or billionaire is no ...

2025-05-08T02:00:10Z

In reply to nevent1q…rrak
_________________________

Every apparently omnipotent politician or billionaire is no better than the Bizmarck: it just takes one slow, weakly-protected Stringbag to jam their rudder and leave them helpless.

One of the most-interesting stories from #WW2 is how the ...

2025-05-08T01:51:28Z

One of the most-interesting stories from #WW2 is how the world's most-powerful and technically-advanced battleship was rendered unnavigable through an attack by fabric-covered biplanes.

The biplanes flew so slowly and jigged around so much that the German gunners didn't even know how to track them.

The life lesson here (outside of war) is that *more powerful* doesn't always mean *more successful.* Apparent weakness can be a strength of its own.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_battleship_Bismarck#Chase

#aviation #resistance

Yes, "Libertarian" in partisan politics generally means ...

2025-05-06T13:40:56Z

In reply to nevent1q…5pdl
_________________________

Yes, "Libertarian" in partisan politics generally means "I can do whatever I want", not "You can do whatever you want." 😕

There are undoubtedly true libertarians in the world (for better or for worse), but they rarely enter politics. Political conservatives are typically LINOs, who are big on anti-libertarian measures like overpolicing, restricting free movement across borders, and regulating people's bodies.

M. Grégoire (npub1pz3…dwqw) [@Sir_Osis_of_Liver](https://beige.party/@Sir_Osis_of_Liver )

And here, once again, is how that diagram translated into ...

2025-05-02T14:52:14Z

In reply to nevent1q…l6ux
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And here, once again, is how that diagram translated into reality.

This is the plan for the accessible garden that I designed and ...

2025-05-02T14:49:03Z

This is the plan for the accessible garden that I designed and built last year, with aisles wide enough for a wheelchair or walker, and most of the garden easily reachable while kneeling on the edge.. Most of it is in full sun, but the northeast corner (top left) has partial filtered shade, which is better for growing greens.

Each square represents 1 ft² (3x3 squares =~ 1m²).

#gardening #accessibility #Ottawa

Here, the squirrels will just go into a garden bed and dig up ...

2025-05-01T11:31:24Z

In reply to nevent1q…tr47
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Here, the squirrels will just go into a garden bed and dig up every single seedling, leaving them scattered around holes like mini bomb craters.

Perhaps that's the reason my North American ancestors had "squirrel guns" rather than "rabbit rifles." 🤷

#Ottawa #gardening

There's no height that would keep out the squirrels here. The ...

2025-05-01T10:29:59Z

In reply to nevent1q…3kpv
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There's no height that would keep out the squirrels here. The bunnies are welcome to their tithe, but the squirrels just dig up and destroy things for no reason. 😕

The accessible garden is turned over, composted, raked, staked, ...

2025-04-30T21:31:28Z

The accessible garden is turned over, composted, raked, staked, and ready for May!

#Ottawa #gardening #zone5

The difference is that in the U.S., it's the gun owners ...

2025-04-30T16:57:11Z

In reply to nevent1q…xq5q
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The difference is that in the U.S., it's the gun owners themselves rather than a foreign invader who are massacring innocent civilians by the tens of thousands., so any implied analogy doesn't hold up.

After France fell, British SOE and other Allied groups dropped over 2,500 tons of armaments for the various French Resistance groups, including more than 100K small arms. It's unlikely a few rusty old shotguns hidden in farmhouses had much effect.

#gunControl #WW2 #history

Canada's Got Talent, election edition 3rd 🥉 — ...

2025-04-29T11:29:42Z

**Canada's Got Talent, election edition**

3rd 🥉 — Carney's happy dance to Down with Webster.

2nd 🥈 — May's sweet musical duet with her husband.

1st 🥇 — Poilièvre's gracious concession speech.

It was reassuringly normal: he thanked his supporters, acknowledged the legitimacy of the result, congratulated Carney, and called for unity.

We used to take this bit of political ritual for granted, but down in the U.S. recently we've seen how bad things get it if doesn't happen.

#CanPoli #elxn45

The important take-away for those of us in the rest of the world ...

2025-04-24T13:20:38Z

In reply to nevent1q…9428
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The important take-away for those of us in the rest of the world is to remember that none of this has any logic behind it. We can make a deal today, and it's gone tomorrow, so there's really no point trying to placate or make concessions.

Some world leaders still think they can somehow negotiate with a random walk.

Thought experiment: if you put a monkey in front of a bank of ...

2025-04-24T12:04:02Z

**Thought experiment:** if you put a monkey in front of a bank of buttons with labels like "apply tariffs", "suspend tariffs", "threaten sovereignty", "back off on threats", "fire someone,"and so on, talking heads at outlets like Fox News would shout at us about the brilliant strategy hidden behind the monkey's apparently-random button pushes.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Random_walk

#politics #media

Every sunny afternoon when the temperature climbs above 10°c, my ...

2025-04-17T18:50:51Z

Every sunny afternoon when the temperature climbs above 10°c, my seedlings get a field trip to the backyard.

#Ottawa #gardening

wrote > Another LinkedIn influencer explaining that if you ...

2025-04-11T21:16:05Z

In reply to nevent1q…s3tn
_________________________

wrote

> Another LinkedIn influencer explaining that if you write using em-dashes, he'll ignore you because you obviously used AI.

Seriously? This is a thing? I've been using en-dashes and em-dashes correctly since the 1980s.

On the other hand, being ignored by a LinkedIn "influencer" does seem like a benefit, so maybe I'll just stay quiet about it.

#AI #LinkedIn

wrote > We haven't received our voting cards for the ...

2025-04-11T21:04:33Z

In reply to nevent1q…94d2
_________________________

wrote

> We haven't received our voting cards for the election

We haven't either, but they're not required to vote. I don't think I ever got one for the provincial election.

You can confirm that you're registered to vote here:

https://ereg.elections.ca/en/ereg/index

#canPoli #elxn45 #Canada #voting

For Vancouver ... Sit on a log and enjoy sunset with the nightly ...

2025-03-26T21:59:04Z

In reply to nevent1q…7fqg
_________________________

For Vancouver ...

Sit on a log and enjoy sunset with the nightly crowd at English Bay beach.

Watch the Harbour Air floatplanes take off and land in Coal Harbour.

Rent a tandem bike and cycle around Stanley Park with a friend.

Take a ride in a water taxi, but skip Granville Island (crowded and overrated).

That's all I've got; I've visited the city only a couple of times. 🙂. Tim Bray 🇨🇦 (npub19ua…53cv) might have better suggestions.

Enjoy!

#YVR #Vancouver

Just so. I was ok with old-school conservatives, who still ...

2025-03-25T12:36:07Z

In reply to nevent1q…jrjf
_________________________

Just so. I was ok with old-school conservatives, who still respected the government and constitution, but the current CPC has become a populist party in the U.S. style, performative anger and all, and its current leader seems highly unprincipled (I support the convoy. I never supported the convoy. I'm with you, extremist group. No, I'm moderate, really! etc.).

He seems much less trustworthy than an average party leader, and that's already a low bar.

M. Grégoire (npub1pz3…dwqw) Tim Bray 🇨🇦 (npub19ua…53cv)

I find that there's a very big liberal (small ell) presence ...

2025-03-25T00:00:22Z

In reply to nevent1q…ct2c
_________________________

I find that there's a very big liberal (small ell) presence here, which is certainly not left or progressive. There's also a small-but-significant left/alternative/anarchist contingent (they overlap).

Traditional conservatives are underrepresented, but that's true in real life as well, where they've largely been pushed out by populists like Trump, Poilièvre, Le Pen, Orban, etc. (there's little room for an Erin O'Toole or John McCain any more).

Tim Bray 🇨🇦 (npub19ua…53cv) M. Grégoire (npub1pz3…dwqw)

For now we've lost faith in your country and government, ...

2025-03-22T13:50:19Z

In reply to nevent1q…z704
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For now we've lost faith in your country and government, Curt Olson (npub15am…hmr6) , but speaking at least for myself, I haven't lost faith in the American people. I think you will all find your way out of this.

It won't be the same as before, but if your fellow Americans have learned from past mistakes in configuring U.S.A. v.1 (1789–1861) and U.S.A. v.2 (1865–2025), maybe U.S.A. v.3 (some time next decade, after the dumpster-fire smoke clears?) will live up to the "freedom" rhetoric. 🤞

Mike Dolbow (npub1z92…fdqa)

wrote > this post is about the broader point that the world is ...

2025-03-22T13:02:48Z

In reply to nevent1q…epur
_________________________

wrote

> this post is about the broader point that the world is currently a dumpster fire and I wish we all had smaller problems.

I agree: little things *do* matter.

When you're stuck in the middle of a burning dumpster looking out, it must seem like the whole world's a dumpster fire, but actually we're not. Most other countries are coping okay. It's hard watching our good friend crawl into a dumpster with matches and a can of kerosene, but we realize it's time to move on. 😕

It's like this old aviation joke. Q. How can you find a pilot ...

2025-03-19T12:49:33Z

In reply to nevent1q…wg94
_________________________

It's like this old aviation joke.

Q. How can you find a pilot in a big crowd?

A. Just stand still. They'll come over and tell you.

#jokes #aviation

OK, it's time for the seed inventory: which are still viable, ...

2025-03-16T17:52:43Z

OK, it's time for the seed inventory: which are still viable, and which need to be replenished?

Nightshade seedlings start today above a heat mat. I'm planning<li>Sweetie cherry tomatoes</li><li>Mid-sized yellow tomatoes</li><li>Some kind of large heirloom tomato (I'll see what's available at Home Hardware 🍁 )</li><li>Black Beauty eggplants</li><li>California Wonder bell peppers</li><li>Italian finger peppers (from seeds I've saved myself)</li>

#gardening #Ottawa #zone5b

It's wild reading 1930s novels and seeing how reliable rail ...

2025-03-12T12:50:07Z

It's wild reading 1930s novels and seeing how reliable rail travel once was in the UK.

"The ship leaves Liverpool for Spain at 7:00 pm."

"There's a train that gets in at 6:25."

"That will allow more than enough time for the five of us to arrive at the station with all our steamer trunks, arrange taxis, and get onboard."

😳

#rail #trains #novels #1930s

I think I'll start my seedlings indoors (at least for ...

2025-03-11T22:31:12Z

I think I'll start my seedlings indoors (at least for nightshades like tomatoes and peppers) around the Ides of March this year. That means I'd better get hopping to check my seed inventory and set up my seedling shelves and grow lights.

#gardening #Ottawa #zone5b

Interesting. Mr Carney has associations with a few places, but he ...

2025-03-07T21:02:38Z

In reply to nevent1q…37w6
_________________________

Interesting. Mr Carney has associations with a few places, but he lives in Ottawa now, and at least in the past has lived in Rockcliffe Park (which is in Ottawa-Vanier), so he wouldn't feel like a parachute candidate.

In any case, he'll want a very safe seat. The Libs could run a Pet Rock in Ottawa-Vanier or Orléans (just to the east) and still win by a landslide. Gotta love partisan politics. 😞

Stéphanie (npub1jay…80k8)

Yes. If Mr Carney wins, watch for someone in a safe Liberal ...

2025-03-07T20:51:54Z

In reply to nevent1q…pl59
_________________________

Yes. If Mr Carney wins, watch for someone in a safe Liberal riding (Ottawa-Vanier?) to get a plum diplomatic or senate appointment, opening up a vacant seat. That's a big advantage that the party in power has over opposition parties.

The sad thing is that the aviation world had a fully-functional ...

2025-03-07T12:47:03Z

In reply to nevent1q…4cf5
_________________________

The sad thing is that the aviation world had a fully-functional land-based radio-navigation system of VORs, NDBs, ILS, etc, until ~10 years ago, when we started dismantling much of it for cost savings because GPS apparently didn't need a backup.

And now, atomic clocks in planes?!?!?

#aviation #GPS #navigation

#OurAirports now lists the Paracel Islands as a separate disputed ...

2025-03-05T23:17:38Z

#OurAirports now lists the Paracel Islands as a separate disputed territory. China de-facto operates all of the aerodromes in the islands (two airports and a few heliports), but Vietnam and Taiwan also claim the islands.

It's about the possible oil and gas reserves (isn't it always?).

https://ourairports.com/countries/XP/

#gis #geopolitics #airports #resources

English mystery novels of the 1920s sometimes refer to chemical ...

2025-02-26T13:08:35Z

English mystery novels of the 1920s sometimes refer to chemical fertiliser as "artificial manure." Let's revive that!

#language #gardening #reading

I had you in mind especially as I posted this. 🙂

2025-02-25T14:58:25Z

In reply to nevent1q…gake
_________________________

I had you in mind especially as I posted this. 🙂

I acknowledge the problematic original distribution channel of ...

2025-02-25T14:13:32Z

I acknowledge the problematic original distribution channel of this video through one of the big, evil social-media sites, but still, 😆.

#CanPoli #language #French

wrote > One word that is interesting is 'knife' Middle ...

2025-02-24T15:27:06Z

In reply to nevent1q…r23x
_________________________

wrote

> One word that is interesting is 'knife' Middle English pronounces the 'k'! K NiF Ah something like that

Blame the Danelaw. The Anglo-Saxons had a perfectly good word that was right in their name ("sax"/"seax"), but people just *had* to replace it with the Scandinavian word "knifR". 😕

Stéphanie (npub1jay…80k8) kaybeeque 🍁💪💪🍁 (npub1cqk…r770)

wrote > Almost everyone who thinks they know what Jesus said, ...

2025-02-21T11:31:36Z

In reply to nevent1q…hzje
_________________________

wrote

> Almost everyone who thinks they know what Jesus said, including most atheists, are annoyingly wrong.

Just so. The religious right ignores that Jesus said not to mix religion with politics, pray in public, commercialise the church, or pass moral judgment on people (especially women). The part about wealthy people not getting into heaven must also be uncomfortable for them.

And let us not forget that Jesus was a refugee when he was young.

#religion #christianity

Great to hear! #DEI isn't charity — it makes organisations ...

2025-02-17T21:38:25Z

In reply to nevent1q…hj06
_________________________

Great to hear!

#DEI isn't charity — it makes organisations stronger and smarter by bringing in a bigger range of views and life experiences. There's only so much additional benefit an org can squeeze out of the 1,001st able white cis male Ivy Leaguer it hires. 😕

Where are you in the city? Clearing in our neighbourhood in the ...

2025-02-16T20:57:55Z

In reply to nevent1q…a6vl
_________________________

Where are you in the city? Clearing in our neighbourhood in the urban core (near Holland and Wellington) has been pretty good, but we get *lots* of outside visitors for our shops and restaurants, and locals tend to walk more than drive (most kids walk to school instead of bussing, for example).

I've heard that residential suburbs, with fewer pedestrians and outside visitors, don't get the same level of attention.