Canada Day 158
Jul. 1st, 2025 09:38 amAs ever...
Yes, we're hitting the eight-billion mark in living humans this week. When I was starting grade school, I think we were at four billion.
Now, though, we have some debate over how difficult things are expected to become, how quickly, and in what ways exactly.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/8-billion-global-population-1.6646018
Now, though, we have some debate over how difficult things are expected to become, how quickly, and in what ways exactly.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/8-billion-global-population-1.6646018
Looking at this for a few minutes:
https://www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/archive/2021/09/electric-cars-have-hit-inflection-point/620233/?utm_source=feed
I didn't think things were moving this quickly on the global scale in terms of cars and trucks. Yes, the manufacturing process is still messy as Hell. But are we making progress of some sort here? I think the answer to that question is "yes".
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armiphlage, autopope, you might have some informed context to add here...? Anyone else?
https://www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/archive/2021/09/electric-cars-have-hit-inflection-point/620233/?utm_source=feed
I didn't think things were moving this quickly on the global scale in terms of cars and trucks. Yes, the manufacturing process is still messy as Hell. But are we making progress of some sort here? I think the answer to that question is "yes".
armiphlage, autopope, you might have some informed context to add here...? Anyone else?
Rebuilding Urban Life
Oct. 5th, 2020 07:38 amA couple of links of interest pointed out to me:
https://www.azuremagazine.com/article/design-is-more-important-than-ever-lets-make-it-official/
https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2017/3/22/cites-as-platforms-of-productivity
I want to revisit these at some point.
https://www.azuremagazine.com/article/design-is-more-important-than-ever-lets-make-it-official/
https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2017/3/22/cites-as-platforms-of-productivity
I want to revisit these at some point.
CBC: Ideas - A Search for the Common Good
Sep. 7th, 2020 02:06 pmListening to this one at the moment:
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/ideas/our-futurecestors-deserve-a-voice-in-today-s-decisions-says-author-1.5710902
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/ideas/our-futurecestors-deserve-a-voice-in-today-s-decisions-says-author-1.5710902
A Reason to Not Give Up on Mainland China
Aug. 18th, 2020 08:57 amA bit of good news, I think, in play this morning for you to look at.
This is a reason worth holding onto, I think. A lot of people in that country see what's going on there for what it is.
This is a reason worth holding onto, I think. A lot of people in that country see what's going on there for what it is.
TV: Last Episode of Agents of SHIELD...
Aug. 12th, 2020 02:43 pm...at least, on ABC and CTV, anyway.
I have no idea what plans there might be for the characters that survive the end of this TV series, no idea what the comic book counterparts of the characters are in for either.
I am feeling somewhat sad. And worried.
Also, nostalgic.
When this series started, I helped my local SF club organize a party to celebrate the series' opening night at the Fox and Feather on Elgin Street. It was well-attended, we had fun, and we looked to the future.
Now? We can't meet again to mark the end of this era. Not in this Time of Pandemic. That hurts.
I have no idea what plans there might be for the characters that survive the end of this TV series, no idea what the comic book counterparts of the characters are in for either.
I am feeling somewhat sad. And worried.
Also, nostalgic.
When this series started, I helped my local SF club organize a party to celebrate the series' opening night at the Fox and Feather on Elgin Street. It was well-attended, we had fun, and we looked to the future.
Now? We can't meet again to mark the end of this era. Not in this Time of Pandemic. That hurts.
(no subject)
Jun. 26th, 2020 07:30 pmThanks to twistedchick for pointing this essay out to me:
https://longreads.com/2020/06/18/the-long-con-of-britishness/
Good on Laurie Penny for this. She's been good for sometimes brutal honesty about the worlds we live in - real and fictional - for a few years now. This is another aspect of that work of hers.
And this comes to mind in particular:
"If you love your country and don’t own its difficulties and its violence, you don’t actually love your country. You’re just catcalling it as it goes by."
Canada's existence in its present form is another consequence of that long con, and the people living here are dealing with being consequences of that as well. Consequences for each other. We are a mess right now. We can do better. We can be better.
Whether we end up with balkanization back into what the Indigenous nations had before first contact with the European nations whose leaders wanted empires built upon the burned bones and spilled blood of the locals; into a mix of Indigenous and Settler holdings; the next conquest of the American Trumpist fascism if that survives this November upcoming; or something else hopefully unified by freely made choice and better for its struggles to accept our own ugly truths and better angels...?
I don't know yet.
twistedchick for pointing this essay out to me:https://longreads.com/2020/06/18/the-long-con-of-britishness/
Good on Laurie Penny for this. She's been good for sometimes brutal honesty about the worlds we live in - real and fictional - for a few years now. This is another aspect of that work of hers.
And this comes to mind in particular:
"If you love your country and don’t own its difficulties and its violence, you don’t actually love your country. You’re just catcalling it as it goes by."
Canada's existence in its present form is another consequence of that long con, and the people living here are dealing with being consequences of that as well. Consequences for each other. We are a mess right now. We can do better. We can be better.
Whether we end up with balkanization back into what the Indigenous nations had before first contact with the European nations whose leaders wanted empires built upon the burned bones and spilled blood of the locals; into a mix of Indigenous and Settler holdings; the next conquest of the American Trumpist fascism if that survives this November upcoming; or something else hopefully unified by freely made choice and better for its struggles to accept our own ugly truths and better angels...?
I don't know yet.
Threat Assessment
May. 12th, 2020 03:31 pmFiled by Garrett M. Graff with Politico:
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/05/07/experts-knew-pandemic-was-coming-what-they-fear-next-238686
Call it stuff that civil defense planners, science fiction writers and citizens in general need to take interest in.
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/05/07/experts-knew-pandemic-was-coming-what-they-fear-next-238686
Call it stuff that civil defense planners, science fiction writers and citizens in general need to take interest in.
TREK: First Contact Day
Apr. 5th, 2020 10:11 amIn forty-three years, in another universe near enough for our imaginations to reach out and envision, this will be the date of official First Contact between the peoples of Earth/Sol III and Vulcan/T'Khasi/40 Eridani A-II/Nevasa II.
I note this retroactive anniversary with hope and some degree of satisfaction.
Joe George at startrek.com has some thoughts on the subject, given this year's context.
I note this retroactive anniversary with hope and some degree of satisfaction.
Joe George at startrek.com has some thoughts on the subject, given this year's context.
Futures, Tenser
Mar. 28th, 2020 08:30 pmTrump's gambling that he can leverage this mess to ensure his future remains locked into the White House.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/27/opinion/trump-coronavirus-response.html
Many object to having their lives redefined as acceptable collateral damage to achieve such ends.
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/3/28/1932073/-All-of-us-are-now-viewed-as-collateral-damage-in-Trump-s-re-election-strategy
David Brin speculates - as you'd expect an SF author to do - on where this might lead for the US in particular.
https://davidbrin.blogspot.com/2020/03/where-might-this-all-lead-unexpected.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/27/opinion/trump-coronavirus-response.html
Many object to having their lives redefined as acceptable collateral damage to achieve such ends.
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/3/28/1932073/-All-of-us-are-now-viewed-as-collateral-damage-in-Trump-s-re-election-strategy
David Brin speculates - as you'd expect an SF author to do - on where this might lead for the US in particular.
https://davidbrin.blogspot.com/2020/03/where-might-this-all-lead-unexpected.html
Just got back in the house from the job interview. While I'm winding down from that and winding up for the sleep clinic tonight? Waubgeshig Rice guest-hosted this week's installment of CBC Radio's Unreserved series, and there's some things of interest to me (and probably other listeners as well):
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/unreserved/from-immersion-camps-to-podcasts-innovation-attracts-new-indigenous-language-speakers-1.5470178
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/unreserved/from-immersion-camps-to-podcasts-innovation-attracts-new-indigenous-language-speakers-1.5470178
When you have half an hour to spare. Rachel Maddow goes over some of the advice of Masha Gessen and Timothy Snyder, as a refresher for us all across the planet.
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/with-the-rule-of-law-failing-under-trump-just-diagnosing-the-problem-isn-t-enough-78691397989
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/with-the-rule-of-law-failing-under-trump-just-diagnosing-the-problem-isn-t-enough-78691397989
MAPS/RAIL: Ambitions, Published in 2013
Jan. 6th, 2020 02:55 pmCrossposted from ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
viarail_fandom
This is a six-year-old project. Call it mapping of ambitions. I doubt that the Canadian government of 2019 shares them, but here they are.
viarail_fandomThis is a six-year-old project. Call it mapping of ambitions. I doubt that the Canadian government of 2019 shares them, but here they are.
A project I've left unattended since 2013, in need of some additional detailing and cleaning up.
Vertigo comics question
Feb. 24th, 2019 11:08 amWhy has no one mentioned High Level to me? I'm looking at Warren Ellis' latest weekly newsletter at the moment, and the sample map from High Level he's included with it?
Moose Jaw, Battleford...Manitoba Sea...Winnipeg Isles...Calgari...?
We're talking the lands of my childhood and adolescence here.
Moose Jaw, Battleford...Manitoba Sea...Winnipeg Isles...Calgari...?
We're talking the lands of my childhood and adolescence here.
New Year's Eve 2018 is Here...
Dec. 31st, 2018 10:55 pmSo I'm home tonight. Listening to the Top 100 Canadian Music Countdown of 2018 on CBC Radio One, Rich Terfry and Angeline Tetteh-Wayoe hosting. Seems like the thing to do at the moment.
In case you're wondering: I'm not making any resolutions for 2019 Gregorian. I doubt my ability to keep to any of them right now.
In case you're wondering: I'm not making any resolutions for 2019 Gregorian. I doubt my ability to keep to any of them right now.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Nov. 30th, 2018 10:20 pmApparently, we have a 70th Anniversary for a Very Important Document coming up. A Document whose content and intent are still getting more disrespect than they ought to.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Declaration_of_Human_Rights
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Declaration_of_Human_Rights
