Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Rowan Wiebe

Anna Mehler Paperny @mehlerpaperny.bsky.social · 1h

Also, as Dale notes, provinces have no room to incarcerate more people. Judges are reducing custodial sentences because jail conditions are so bad. bsky.app/profile/jour...

Dale Smith @journodale.bsky.social · 1h

For the record, in Ontario jails, 78 percent of people are in pre-trial detention and have not been convicted. Facilities are so overcrowded they are triple-bunking in tiny cells.

2 4 6

Reposted by Rowan Wiebe

Armine Yalnizyan @armineyalnizyan.bsky.social · 4h

The "drill, baby, drill" slogan belies the relatively small role of *all* mining, quarrying, O&G extraction activities in the Canadian economy.
It's hugely capital intensive (only 1.2% of all jobs) but rip, strip and ship activities contribute just 5.1% to GDP... not even in the top 10 sectors.

Armine Yalnizyan @armineyalnizyan.bsky.social · 5h

Canada wide: In 2024, 4.4 million (21.2%) Canadians earn their living from a job in the care economy. In the entire Canadian industrial sector that mines, quarries, drills and extracts, there were 264K jobs. The care economy generates 13.6% of GDP. The entire mining, etc. sector generates 5.1%.

1 26 37

Reposted by Rowan Wiebe

Eric Lombardi @ericlombardi.bsky.social · 6h

Well, isn’t this frustrating.

The city published it was open to alternative solutions to allow single stair buildings.

Someone has tried to put a design forward… and let’s just say it’s not going great.

Pamela Blais @pamelablais.bsky.social · 7h

After TO Council passed a motion indicating the City was open to Alternative Solution Proposals for a single stair in apts up to 4 storeys, I applied for a single stair in a 3 storey Part 9 6plex.

I’m told it’s the first one, so it’s a test case. Here’s how it’s going.

#singlestair #sixplex

6 9

Reposted by Rowan Wiebe

Society of Alberta Asexuals & Aromantics @albertaacesandaros.bsky.social · 16h

Now that winter is approaching, let's look back on a great summer of Pride 🌈 We marched in 3 parades this year: Calgary, Edmonton, and Lethbridge! Maybe next year, we can make it 4? Always happy to hear from our community across Alberta and see if we can make it work 💜💚

1 3

Reposted by Rowan Wiebe

Colleen @cbailey6.bsky.social · 1d

I don't know why the federal government is so determined to let Toronto torpedo its housing programs. Other cities can meet the criteria and they have to be wondering why they bothered.

Dr. Mike P. Moffatt @mikepmoffatt.bsky.social · 1d

EXCEPT... Toronto doesn't meet the second conditions! Depending on the type of unit, development charges in Toronto are 20-40% higher than they were in April 2024. So they shouldn't qualify!

2 6 11

Reposted by Rowan Wiebe

Mickey Djuric @mickeydjuric.bsky.social · 1d

Statement from the president of the Parliamentary Press Gallery, on Prime Minister Mark Carney’s trip to Egypt:

“It is unprecedented that Canadian media be entirely excluded from a Canadian prime minister’s foreign trip.”

16 140 340

Reposted by Rowan Wiebe

Rami Ismail (رامي) @ramiismail.com · 1d

Hey look, Israel broke the cease-fire, twice, in two different ways, within 24 hours - again.

Mondoweiss @mondoweiss.net · 2d

NEW: Israel informed the UN it will permit only 300 aid trucks into Gaza daily, not the 600 mandated by the ceasefire it just signed.

61 3.2K 7.1K

Rowan Wiebe @rowanwiebe.bsky.social · 1d

I thank you for your civic patriotism, unironically. Event planning is hell on a good day

1 2

Reposted by Rowan Wiebe

paris martineau @paris.nyc · 2d

my latest investigation for @consumerreports.org is based on months of reporting and 60+ lab tests of leading protein supplements

we found that most protein powders and shakes have more lead in one serving than our experts say is safe to have in a day (🧵)

www.consumerreports.org/lead/protein...

Protein Powders and Shakes Contain High Levels of Lead - Consumer Reports

CR tests of 23 popular protein powders and shakes found that most contain high levels of lead.

www.consumerreports.org

280 3.3K 6.1K

Reposted by Rowan Wiebe

Pam Wilkinson FBPE 🌹👻🌪️ @skully17.bsky.social · 3d

Me on a Monday morning.

12 20 110

Reposted by Rowan Wiebe

Will BOO-rows 🖖🍞🥀 @reforest-kelley.bsky.social · 2d

A photo of three people in inflatable frog suits outside an ICE detention center in Portland, overlaid with an excerpt from Exodus 8:2-6

"But if you refuse to let them go, I will
plague your whole country with frogs...
The frogs shall come up on you and on
your people and on all your officials."

4 260 880

Reposted by Rowan Wiebe

John Scalzi @scalzi.com · 2d

Most "classics" are boring as fuck to a modern reader in no small part because the context of the story is not understood by them and so many of the allusions and "inside jokes" known to then-contemporary readers have been lost in time and in translation

Rachel Feder @rachelfeder.bsky.social · 3d

Tell me your most unhinged literary opinion, as a little treat

170 290 3.2K

Reposted by Rowan Wiebe

Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 5d

"Whatever was meant, the othering of future neighbours was not persuasive to Council then, and it shouldn’t be now." Beyond the policy aspects, Don Iveson really hits at the most key ingredient for housing change: city councils with the moral imagination to brave opposition for a better city.

The big picture on housing, density and affordability

How Edmonton's approach fights for affordability and fiscal efficiency

open.substack.com

1 12 22

Reposted by Rowan Wiebe

Will Wiles @willwiles.bsky.social · 2d

Performatively reading in the cafe, but wearing white gloves so I'm still venerating the Book As Object, with a t-shirt saying "I know archivists don't wear gloves" so people know the gloves are performative.

12 120 540

Reposted by Rowan Wiebe

Chris Kluwe @chriswarcraft.bsky.social · 2d

Too many people view reading as “something you do” rather than “a skill that can be developed.”

If you want to get better at kicking a football, you have to kick a lot of footballs. If you want to get better at reading, you have to read a lot of books.

Also, it’s fun to be good at things!

Rachel Feder @rachelfeder.bsky.social · 3d

Tell me your most unhinged literary opinion, as a little treat

26 100 930

Rowan Wiebe @rowanwiebe.bsky.social · 2d

Probe(c)k

4

Rowan Wiebe @rowanwiebe.bsky.social · 2d

Last week I was looking at Canadian court docs from the 70s that spelled the plaintiff's name 2 ways.

1 6

Reposted by Rowan Wiebe

Cassidy Percoco @mimicofmodes.com · 2d

I think a lot of people don't quite grasp how little documentation of a legal identity anyone had before, like, the 1930s. No social security number, no green card, no driver's license. This made you reliant on your social network; OTOH nobody could force you to write your name a certain way.

15 40 230

Reposted by Rowan Wiebe

KidzBoptotenlieder @theodramatist.com · 3d

Moreover, while not a *tool*, there are few more explicitly political *symbols* than the Eucharist, than communion: it is literally the inbreaking of God’s Kingdom into our midst, strengthening and binding the faithful as a counter-polity to witness against the death-dealing powers of the world.

Kevin the Pikachu @kap3692.bsky.social · 3d

'i don't like that they used the Eucharist as a political tool by showing up at the ice facility unannounced and expecting to be let in'

do you seriously believe this is the first time Catholic priests have tried to bring communion to ice detainees

2 5 36

Reposted by Rowan Wiebe

Dr. Ayla 🍉 @draylasays.bsky.social · 3d

This is what it’s like to be Palestinian: Israel threatening you with “severe consequences” if you express any joy at the homecoming of your loved ones from captivity in Israeli prisons, where they’ve been tortured for decades.

Al Jazeera English @aljazeera.com · 3d

While Israelis celebrated the return of captives from Gaza, Israel warned Palestinian families against holding celebrations over the return of prisoners – some who had been held for decades. Al Jazeera’s Nour Odeh explains.

2 110 230

Rowan Wiebe @rowanwiebe.bsky.social · 3d

I work in an archive and we have researchers coming in to check out stuff that almost no one has looked at since it was deposited with us. They're always working on all kinds of niche projects.

3

Reposted by Rowan Wiebe

Peter @notalawyer.bsky.social · 3d

the actual story here, which the media never talks about, is that police in this country have become a discrete right-wing political operation. the story isn't about cops leaving (they're lying about that), it's about the police trying to exert influence over elections.

Mark Misoshnik 🏴 @misoshnik.bsky.social · 4d

Lmao is this supposed to be a bad thing?

A tweet from Bari Weiss that says “"It's shaken me to my core," a lieutenant said of Mamdani's unexpected victory in June. "The absolute dread I feel is palpable.
"
Today in @TheFP our @Olivia_Reingold talks to the cops who say they will walk if Zohran Mamdani is elected in November:”

580 5.6K 21K

Reposted by Rowan Wiebe

Fagatha Ghostie @joelnb.bsky.social · 3d

Don't make me tap the Robert Pattinson quote, Leto.

“I always say about people who do method acting, you only ever see people do the method when they’re playing an assholes,” Pattinson said in an interiew with Variety in November. “You never see someone being lovely to everyone while they’re really deep in character.”

26 690 3.1K

Reposted by Rowan Wiebe

innes @innes.bsky.social · 3d

The problem with computer jobs is that it's all in your head. You can't touch or eat the code you write, it's too abstract. You need to find something to make with your hands if you want to stay okay

40 73 520

Rowan Wiebe @rowanwiebe.bsky.social · 3d

Yeah, and a lot of the "the condos are luxury" is marketing. I regularly see "luxury" condos where there isn't room for a dining table. That ain't luxury.

1