Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Tyler Smith

Leo Spalteholz @leospalteholz.bsky.social · 1d

The rationale behind our 154% duty is to protect local manufacturing. I get that.

But even with that in place there is just very little manufacturing of panels in Canada. Its around 1000 jobs in the whole country vs tens of thousands in install / servicing we could gain if solar was a lot cheaper

Leo Spalteholz @leospalteholz.bsky.social · 1d

This is how cheap our solar could be if we didn’t tax it like cigarettes

This system would cost over $30k in Canada vs $8500 in Australia

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Reposted by Tyler Smith

Pat Bickerton @pbickerton.bsky.social · 2d

Over at @strongtownsottawa.ca we've calculated the productivity of different development patterns in #OttCity. Tax per hectare is easy.

Lately, I've been estimating the cost of servicing. These numbers are much more abstract but it's been fun.

Here is some data I'm tracking.

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Tyler Smith @tylerismith.bsky.social · 2d

Exactly. The UL certification already exists, make it mandatory, and crack down hard on shady sellers.

E-Bikes Certification: Evaluating and Testing to UL 2849

Industry leaders developed UL 2849 to provide fire safety certification considering e-bikes’ electrical drive train, battery, and charger system combinations.

www.ul.com

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Reposted by Tyler Smith

Glen Gower @glengower.ca · 4d

Once again, speed cameras work.
(This is data from Ottawa, published in 2024.)

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Reposted by Tyler Smith

Tom Flood @tomflood.bsky.social · 4d

An adult driver angry at a child they hit with their car.

Our car culture summed up in one video.

Robson Fletcher @robsonfletcher.com · 4d

Police in Airdrie, Alberta (just north of Calgary) say this driver hit a 17-year-old girl in a marked crosswalk, got out of the vehicle, and appeared to get upset at the teenager before driving away.

They released this video and are now trying to identify the driver.

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Tyler Smith @tylerismith.bsky.social · 4d

Terminal car brain with these people

Tyler Smith @tylerismith.bsky.social · 4d

And this gem:

Ford government vehicle recorded at stunt driving speeds on Ontario highways | Globalnews.ca

At least one cabinet-assigned vehicle was recorded driving more than 50 km/h over the speed limit multiple times in the past three years, according to documents.

globalnews.ca

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Tyler Smith @tylerismith.bsky.social · 4d

Also Doug Ford:

“Fuck your kids”

‘The answer is no’: Ford rejects plea from mayors to save, alter Ontario’s speed cameras | Globalnews.ca

Replying to a letter sent last week asking for changes to how speed cameras operate instead of an all-out ban, Ford repeated his claim the program is a 'cash grab.'

globalnews.ca

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Tyler Smith @tylerismith.bsky.social · 4d

Not to be outdone, even the new outdoor shower was causing a big puddle on the path on a warm summer day. The grading was poor and the drain was seemingly absent.

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Reposted by Tyler Smith

Jason Markusoff @markusoff.bsky.social · 4d

Coca-Cola Coke Zero

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Reposted by Tyler Smith

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social · 8d

The Ontario premier either doesn't understand that speed cameras save lives, or he doesn't care.

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Tyler Smith @tylerismith.bsky.social · 9d

One might wonder how many are in hospital, or even the ICU, with complications to the MMR vaccine.

My totally wild guess is … zero?

Heather Campbell @thatheatherc.bsky.social · 9d

A person in Alberta has died from complications due to measles.

www.ctvnews.ca/calgary/arti...

Anticipate a tear soaked media conference from Premier Smith where she reeks of soap from having freshly washed the blood off her hands.

Alberta: 1,910 measles cases, 152 people in hospital (15 in ICU).

Albertan dies from measles

An Albertan has died from complications due to measles, government data released Thursday says.

www.ctvnews.ca

Tyler Smith @tylerismith.bsky.social · 10d

Originally planned to build taller but stopped and instead slapped a roof on what should have been another level?

Reposted by Tyler Smith

Helen Czerski @helenczerski.bsky.social · 15d

In discussion with a computer scientist from the University of Cambridge last night:

Me: "you've described some of the things that AI is good at. How would you describe the category of things it's not good at?

**pause**

Him: "Anything where it has to be right".

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Tyler Smith @tylerismith.bsky.social · 14d

And skate park. Thankfully it’s not another self storage facility.

Ottawa's indoor bike and skate park about to hit the brakes | CBC News

Local skateboarders and BMX riders will lose their all-season practice hub next year as The Yard prepares to close in March after years of losses.

www.cbc.ca

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Tyler Smith @tylerismith.bsky.social · 15d

Vomit emoji

Drew Harwell @drewharwell.com · 15d

Mark Zuckerberg is introducing a feed that's just 100% AI slop. No pesky creativity from real people to get in the way. Eat up little piggies

Introducing Vibes -- a feed of expressive AI-generated videos from artists and creators in the Meta AI app. Create and remix videos with leading models and music for free.

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Tyler Smith @tylerismith.bsky.social · 15d

Not that I’m encouraging this, but part of my understanding of Catholicism is that they have pretty good record keeping. So I would think there to be baptism or catechism class or sacrament certificates?

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Reposted by Tyler Smith

Gregory Norminton @gregorynorminton.bsky.social · 15d

Bloody solar panels, cluttering up the countryside and preventing desertification while providing clean energy and growing food.

Lewis Standing @lewis-standing.bsky.social · 17d

www.reuters.com/sustainabili...

China is halting the expansion of the gobi desert by planting goji berries beneath solar panels.

The shade reduces heat and water stress on the plants.

Excellent

China enlists solar panels in war to halt desert sands

In arid northern China, dozens of workers prune goji berry bushes that stretch out under the protective shade of thousands of solar panels.

www.reuters.com

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Reposted by Tyler Smith

Ted Raymond @tedraymond.bsky.social · 15d

Ottawa’s busiest photo radar cameras this year have issued fewer tickets than they did last year, suggesting drivers are adapting to the presence of the cameras and slowing down.

Ottawa data show busiest photo radar cameras in 2025 handing out fewer tickets than year prior

With the Ontario government set to ban photo radar cameras in the province, data from the City of Ottawa show fewer tickets are being issued at the busiest cameras in the city compared to the year pri...

www.ctvnews.ca

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Reposted by Tyler Smith

It's Jamie @sjamieit.bsky.social · 16d

Doug Ford: "Speed cameras DO NOT slow people down."

Speed camera data:

Speed camera data showing drivers slowing down. Fewer high end speeders and lower average speeds over time.

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Reposted by Tyler Smith

Glen Gower @glengower.ca · 16d

Yes, speed cameras work.

Speed studies from before and after installation of Automated Speed Enforcement cameras show continued improvement in speed limit compliance as time goes on. It also shows a significant reduction in high-end speeding at these locations.

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Reposted by Tyler Smith

🇨🇦Joe Vipond🇨🇦 @jvipondmd.bsky.social · 16d

“Solar energy is not the boogeyman. Properly managed, these solar power projects can actually enhance and increase agricultural production and become diversification projects that can save family farms"

Support needed at all levels for high-value solar projects - Alberta Farmer Express

Proponents of agrivoltaics say such renewable energy projects can help Alberta farmers diversify their operations and add value to the farms.

www.albertafarmexpress.ca

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Tyler Smith @tylerismith.bsky.social · 16d

Tear

sixpenceee none the richer @kagredon.bsky.social · 17d

it's 2007. you're scrolling your favorite rss feeds in google reader. the internet ad market has led to a boom in mid-sized blogs that can employ tens of writers and editors in a relatively niche subject. you don't know it, but this is the last time journalism will be any good.

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Reposted by Tyler Smith

Shawn Micallef @shawnmicallef.bsky.social · 17d

That he feels he can say this, publicly, is 100% Doug Ford giving this behaviour his approval. This should be an embarrassing secret bro takes to his grave. The way these people drive & treat others will be related too. The sociopathic lid is off.

Matt Elliott @graphicmatt.com · 17d

Driver who racks up between $300 and $400 a month in speeding and parking tickets feels like he’s "being bullied.” www.ctvnews.ca/toronto/arti...

Dasrath, who spends much of his time driving for work, said he regularly racks up $300 to $400 a month in parking and speeding tickets.

“When you get the ticket in the mail about four to six weeks later, the first thing I felt is anger and rage… you feel like you’re being bullied.”

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Reposted by Tyler Smith

Sara Hastings-Simon 🇨🇦 @shastingssimon.bsky.social · 17d

I believe a not insignificant number of issues would be solved if people understood that the street in front of or near their residence is not in fact some kind of special extension of their personal property specifically for automobile storage.

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